Comelec urges public to scrutinize candidates' SOCE

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday urged the public to scrutinize Eleksyon 2025 candidates’ Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), which will be made publicly available.

This, as the poll body hopes the public can help confirm the veracity of the candidates' SOCE entries.

“Kailangan [makita ng tao ang SOCE] upang malaman kung talagang tama ba yung mga nire-report o baka mayroon silang hindi na-report mga gastusin. O kaya naman, may mga nagbigay na wala doon sa SOCE," Comelec Chair George Garcia said on the sidelines of GMA Integrated News' Masterclass series on Saturday.

“Ganun ka-importante na andyan ‘yung SOCE, nakapublish, upang makounter-check ng hindi lang ng Comelec, kung hindi lang mga publiko,” Garcia added.

(It is important to publish SOCE so the counter-checking is not only done by the Comelec, but also the public.)

Garcia, however, admitted that SOCE has limitations, given that it only covers the expenses of the candidates within the campaign period, which only lasts for two to three months, and not starting from the period of the filing of candidacy from October 1 to 8, 2024 as provided by a Supreme Court ruling.

“We have to comply with the ruling of the Supreme Court,” Garcia said.

Likewise, Garcia said it would be very hard to determine if the candidates and the campaign donors conspire not to disclose the real amount of the campaign expenditure involved.

“If they conspired, that would be very difficult to trace,” Garcia said.

Still, Garcia said that the SOCE and the scrutiny it will bring will at least ensure that the candidate is "playing by the rules."

“What is important here is they have to submit the SOCE, because that is accountability. If a candidate goes around campaigning with disregard of the law, then you cannot expect anything out of that candidate if he or she gets elected,” emphasized Garcia.

Earlier, Garcia also said that the Comelec is set to issue a resolution presuming celebrities and influencers endorsing candidates for Eleksyon 2025 are paid contractors.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News

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