Speaker won’t ax solons yet

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Speaker Feliciano Belmonte is not about to let go of any House member just yet.

Belmonte on Thursday said he had asked the 20 lawmakers who are considered to have not filed any statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) with regard to the 2013 elections to fix the deficiencies in the documents by Monday, Dec. 16.

But Belmonte also criticized the Comelec for being “OA” (or overdoing things), noting that 17 of the 20 lawmakers, including former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had filed SOCEs, but failed to personally sign them or use the proper form.

Because of these deficiencies, the Comelec deemed the House members not to have filed the SOCEs, which the poll body considers as a ground for dismissal from office.

“I think the Comelec is OA. That’s not bad faith. That’s just misapprehension,” Belmonte told a press briefing on Thursday.

But he does not think there was any “sinister reason” behind the Comelec move.

Belmonte said he was confident that the lawmakers will be able to clear the issue with the Comelec by Monday. Otherwise, they will have to go as directed by the poll body.

“If they do not comply by that time, I will ask them to vacate their posts,” Belmonte said.

The three representatives that the Comelec said did not file SOCEs were Manila Rep. Trisha Bonoan-David, Camarines Sur Rep. Salvio Fortuno and Bulacan Rep. Victoria Sy-Alvarado.

But Fortuno on Thursday disputed the Comelec’s findings and said the Comelec provincial office had confirmed to him that his SOCE was filed immediately after the elections.

Fortuno, who was in Manila on Thursday, said his son-in-law was able to secure a copy of the document at the Comelec provincial office and that he would present this to Belmonte on Monday.

Belmonte said Bonoan-David told him she had also filed a SOCE, and her staff went to the Comelec Thursday to submit a proof of it, but it was not accepted because there was an ongoing party.

Several lawmakers were also dismayed by the Comelec move, saying they had actually filed their SOCEs within the prescribed period, and the Comelec officers had received these without telling them that there were defects in the forms or that their personal signatures were needed.

But they also said they will also correct these supposed defects as directed.

Lawyer Raul Lambino, Arroyo’s chief of staff, insisted that Arroyo had filed her SOCE on time and had signed it.

Lambino sent copies of the documents that Arroyo had filed to the media. The form, with the heading Statement of Contributions and Expenditures was signed by Lambino, but the latter also showed a Schedule of Expenditure form and Authority to Incur Election Expenditure form that showed Arroyo’s signature.

Biazon’s proof

Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon said he had filed his SOCE on time and has proof from the Muntinlupa election officer to show for it.

As to Comelec’s finding that the document did not bear his personal signature, Biazon said that as far as he knew at that time, it could be signed by either him or his representative.

But he said he would submit a new form with his personal signature to comply with the Comelec’s latest directive.

Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop said if he had used the wrong SOCE form as the Comelec said, he should have been informed when he filed it, or the document should not have been accepted.

“Granting without accepting the Comelec’s findings, have I not substantially complied with the law?” Acop said in a phone interview.

He also wondered why the Comelec did not communicate with the lawmakers about the supposed defects before going to the media. He also asked if he had violated the law by supposedly not using the prescribed form.