SC junks petition seeking to void Comelec extension of SOCE deadline

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition that sought to nullify the Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision extending the deadline for the filing of the statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) upon the request of the administration’s Liberal Party (LP).

In a press conference, high court’s information chief Atty. Theodore Te said the SC dismissed the petition filed by Atty. Manuelito Luna of 1-Abilidad party-list and retired Army Colonel Justino Padiernos on technicality.

READ: LP submits SOCE 6 days after deadline; Roxas to file within the week

The high court said petitioners failed to attach a certified true copy of Comelec resolution as required under Rule 64 Section 5 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure.

READ: SC asked to nullify Comelec decision to extend SOCE deadline

“Petitioners merely submitted news reports in lieu of the required number of the assailed resolution. As petitioner failed to state the exact date of promulgation of the assailed resolution, the averments regarding the timeliness of petition are also defective,” the high court’s ruling stated.

“We remind petitioners that this Court cannot act upon a petition for certiorari that does not contain the assailed issuances and wholly relies upon printed news accounts. In sum, the failure of the instant petition to comply with these basic requirements constitutes a sufficient reason for its dismissal,” the Court added.

In their petition, Luna and Padiernos accused the Comelec of committing grave abuse of discretion when it extended the deadline for SOCE submission.

Petitioners said extending the SOCE deadline is tantamount “to an impermissible amendment of Section 14 of RA7166.”

“There is no substantive justification for the Commission (Comelec) to disregard the ‘final and non-extendible deadline’ prescribed by Sec. 14 of RA 7166,” the petitioners said. Kristina Casandra Tayam, INQUIRER.net trainee/RAM