16 pols file statements of election finance ahead of today’s deadline
Candidates, mostly coming from the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) filed their statements of election finance a day before today’s deadline.
In the Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SECE) submitted to the Commission on Election (Comelec) Cebu City office, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young reported the biggest election expenditure amounting to P1.3 million. Youngl lost his reelection bid by just 184 votes to Councilor Edgardo Labella.
The bulk of Young’s expenses went to advertisements amounting to P1.1 million. His other election expenditures included printing of campaign materials – P205,700 and watchers – P14,000.
Incoming south district congressman Rodrigo Abellanosa was the second biggest spender with a total of P895,927 in election expenses which was mostly spent on advertisements.
Councilor Sisinio Andales who won his 3rd term as city councilor declared the smallest election spending of only P59,000.
Re-elected mayor Michael Rama and majority of his Team Rama members are yet to submit their SECES to the Comelec.
Article continues after this advertisementAlso to submit their SECEs are outgoing south district Rep. Tomas Osmeña and his wife, Councilor Margot Osmeña have. Rep. Osmeña lost his bid to take back the helm of the City Hall, while Councilor Osmeña won a fresh term in the City Council.
Article continues after this advertisement“We will be open until 5 p.m. today to accept the CESEs. If they do not submit on time, we will consider that as not having submitted at all,” said Atty. Ferdinance Gujilde, head of the Comelec south district office and the head of the City Board of Election Inspectors.
The Synchronized National and Local Elections Law says that “no person elected to any public office shall enter upon the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and expenditures required.”
The law allow candidates belonging to a political party to spend only P3 for every voter registered in their locality while the independent candidates are allowed to spend P5 per voter.
Political parties are also allowed to spend P5 for every registered voter in areas where they fielded candidates in the May 13 election.
Cebu City has 547,681 registered voters.
Failure to submit CESE will be penalized with fines ranging from P1,000 to P30,000 for the first two offenses. The third offense is already grounds to disqualify a candidate from holding government office.
Rep. Osmeña said that he already finished the preparation of his SECE, ready for filing in today.
The outgoing congressman left for Singapore yesterday with Councilor Osmeña and their son, Miguel, Abellanosa, Guadalupe barangay captain Michael Gacasan and some of their “key” election volunteers.
Rep. Osmeña said that his family is vacationing separately from Abellanosa’s group but they are scheduled to have dinner tonight.
So far, 16 candidates in Cebu City have already submitted their CESE to the Comelec.
Incoming north district Rep. Raul del Mar has reported P660,000 election expenses.
His opponents showbiz personality Annabelle Rama said she spent P504, 686.
Rama, cousin of mayor Rama, also spent for the rent of her campaign headquarters – P59, 500; printing of campaign materials – P1, 461 and cellular phone load – P135.
The talent manager did not declare any expenditure for advertisement and the honorarium of election watchers.
Among the travel expenses which she declared and attached to her SECE was a plane ticket for actress Rufa Mae Quinto who came to Cebu on May 9.
