Bets warned on past poll expenses

BACOLOD CITY—Candidates should not forget to submit their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (Soce), more so if they plan to run in the next elections.

This was the lesson learned by Leopoldo Sua, 52, a former militiaman, mechanic and farmer who ran as independent for representative of Negros Occidental’s first district in 2013.

Sua went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office here on Tuesday to file his certificate of candidacy for senator. Not only was he at the wrong office, he was also told to pay a fine of P20,000 for failing to file his Soce in the 2013 polls.

Senatorial candidates are supposed to file their COCs in Manila.

Provincial election supervisor Jessie Suarez gave Sua a letter from the Comelec Campaign Finance acting head, Sabino Majarito, directing him to pay P20,000 in administrative fine. Otherwise, the penalty would be enforced by a writ of execution issued by the commission against his properties.

Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 (Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms) mandates that a fine of P1,000 to P30,000 be imposed on first offenders at the discretion of the Comelec. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas