Nagbigay-babala si Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año sa mga newly-elected officials na mabibigong makatupad sa itinakdang ultimatum sa pagpa- file ng kanilang Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) .
A newly-elected official (NEO) will not be allowed to take his or her oath of office without filing his or her Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), ayon sa DILG.
Kasabay nito nanawagan si SILG Eduardo M. Año sa mga NEOs na magsumite na ng kanilang mga SOCEs bago matapos ang June 8, 2022 deadline para maiwasan na mabalam ang kanilang assumption to duty.
“It’s plain and simple: No SOCE, no oath taking for NEOs. We encourage our NEOs to start their term right by complying with the provisions of the law and submitting their SOCE to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on or before June 8, 2022,” mariing pahayag ni Sec. Año .
Nakapaloob sa SOCE ang cash and in-kind contributions na natangap ng mga kandidato mula sa political party at iba pang sources. Kasama rito ang expenditures na binayaran o kinuha mula sa personal funds, cash contributions at mga nalikom na in-kind contributions.
… it is incumbent among NEOs to declare their SOCEs prior to the start of their term as Republic Act (RA) No. 7166 or the “Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act” mandates that no official will be allowed to assume their elected posts without filing their SOCE with the Comelec, anang kalihim.
Ayon sa Section 14 of RA 7166 “Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 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 required.”
The same law stipulates that: “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), at the discretion of the commission.”
“Sana po ay simulan ninyo ng tama ang inyong mga termino. Comply with your legal obligation as enshrined in our Constitution,” dagdag pa ni Año. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
