Comelec exec says no to Mar, LP’s plea to extend filing of SOCE

LAST CAMPAIGN DAY Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and his running mate, Leni Robredo, greet supporters during their “miting de avance” on Saturday at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. JOAN BONDOC

Update

THE Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) campaign finance office on Wednesday denied the request of the Liberal Party and its presidential candidate Mar Roxas to extend the filing of their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE).

“After careful deliberation on the said request, the Campaign Finance Office respectfully recommends the denial of the request for extension filed by Atty Sardillo,” Commissioner Christian  Robert Lim, who heads the CFO, said in memorandum.

Sardillo is the lawyer of the LP.

According to Lim, Republic Act 7166 clearly states that submission of SOCE should be made within 30 days after the elections

Lim’s recommendation, however, is not yet final, as the seven-member Comelec en banc will deliberate and vote on the recommendation on Thursday.

LP and Roxas earlier asked for a 14-day extension to file their SOCE after they failed to meet the June 8 deadline set by the Comelec.

They finally filed their SOCE on June 14 but the documents did not include Roxas’ SOCE.