Ulog #9: Filling Our SOCE

goiinmary (56)in #ulog • 6 years ago

I've got so many appointments last Saturday yet I only had time to focus on filling our SOCE in the Comelec since it is very important to us the Sangguniang Kabataan members and to the Barangay Officials because if we can't fill up those forms we will be put into jail and will be fined to 5,000 PHP or 94.64 USD. That's why I was in a rush to go to our Municipal in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte because if not Nah jail is waiting for me huhu, my father wanted me to change my outfit because I was only wearing pedal jeans and a sandal but my aunt told me it is okay but my father still wanted me to change so I changed my outfit for pedal to a jeans. When I got there I saw my teammates who are already writing for their SOCE then I took my own form for the SOCE to fill it up.

It took us almost half an hour to finish our SOCE because we had so many papers to write and put our signatures. I looked at one of my teammate who is kinda close to me then I was shocked that he was wearing pedal jeans while I am supposedly going to wear a pedal but my father refuses me to wear that since it is not allowed in the Municipal, yes indeed it is not allowed but only in weekdays not on weekends huhu.

And after that we went inside the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office so one of our team which is my close friend in our group was the first one to present it to the girl in the Comelec while we were waiting for our turn when we were having a little chit-chat and laughing in the Comelec office after that our SK Chairman was the second one to present his form then my close friend who's the one who presents his form told me that he will be going to recheck my papers then I followed his instructions. Almost an hour for waiting he left since he doesn't eat anything on his lunch and he is already hungry while we were waiting for everyone (I mean our team) and when the officer of the Comelec was done we took pictures of ourselves (SK members) though we lack for 3 SK councilors because they left so soon for their work and the other one is hungry, then we went home because we are going to have a session again for our upcoming event.

What is SOCE?

The legal basis for requiring candidates and parties to submit "full, true and itemized" statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs) in relation to their electoral campaigns is found in Section 107 of the OEC, and punishable as an election offense under Section 262 of the OEC. While this has been repealed by Section 39 of RA 7166 and consequently decriminalized and is no longer an election offense, Section 14 of RA 7166 still requires the filing of SOCEs:

Section 14. Statement of Contributions and Expenditures: Effect of Failure to File Statement. - Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within thirty (30) days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Commission the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election.

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 herein required.

The same prohibition shall apply if the political party which nominated the winning candidate fails to file the statement required herein within the period prescribed by this Act.

Except candidates for elective barangay office, failure to file the statements or reports in connection with electoral contributions and expenditures as required herein shall constitute an administrative offense for which the offenders shall be liable to pay an administrative fine ranging from One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00), in the discretion of the Commission.

The fine shall be paid within thirty (30) days from receipt of notice of such failure; otherwise, it shall be enforceable by a writ of execution issued by the Commission against the properties of the offender.

It shall be the duty of every city, or municipal election registrar to advise in writing, by personal delivery or registered mail, within five (5) days from the date of the election all candidates residing in his jurisdiction to comply with their obligation to file their statements of contributions and expenditures.

For the commission of a second or subsequent offense under this section, the administrative fine shall be from Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) to Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00), in the discretion of the Commission. In addition, the offender shall be subject to perpetual disqualification to hold public office."

Regardless of the results of the elections, or even if the candidates or parties concerned did not receive any contribution or make any expenditure, they should still submit their SOCEs reflecting such fact. (See Pilar vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 115245, 11 July 1995) Source

Source

Win or lose, candidates for the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections should still file their statements of contributions and expenditures (Soce).

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday reminded candidates that the filing of the candidates’ Soce is not later than June 13, 2018.

Candidates who fail to submit their Soce before the deadline may face sanction of being “perpetually disqualified to hold public office,” the Comelec warned. Source

Check out my previous post:

Ulog #8: (May 14, 2018) The Election Day

That would be all guys!

Thanks for dropping by!!

⚓ goiinmary ⚓

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