Latest news with #SOCE
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec: Preparations ongoing for BARMM polls
Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia said Friday that preparations proceed as planned for the first ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Garcia told GMA News Online that it is not for the poll body to decide whether or not the BARMM polls would push through on October 13, 2025. 'Kami po sa Comelec ay walang hinto ang paghahanda sa BARMM parliamentary elections. Tuloy na tuloy po ito kung kami ang tatanungin. Wala po sa amin ang desisyon tungkol sa pagpapaliban nito,' Garcia said. (We at the Comelec do not stop preparing for the BARMM parliamentary elections. This will continue, if we are asked. The decision whether to postpone it or not is not ours to make.) Based on Comelec Resolution No. 11149, the election period for the BARMM polls will begin on August 14 and last until October 28. A gun ban will also be implemented throughout this period. The campaign period, meanwhile, will be from August 28 to October 11. Campaigning will be prohibited in the region starting election eve or on October 12, until election day on October 13. There will also be a liquor ban enforced in these two days. Once the election period is over, candidates will be given until November 12 to file their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE). In February, Garcia announced that President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. signed into law the measure postponing the BARMM parliamentary elections from May to October this year. It was first postponed from May 2022 to May 2025 under Republic Act 11593. Marcos has certified as urgent the bill postponing the BARMM elections, according to Malacañang. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Comelec reminds Eleksyon 2025 candidates of June 11 deadline for SOCE
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday reminded Eleksyon 2025 candidates of the deadline for the filing of the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs). In an advisory, the poll body said the local and national candidates only have seven days, or until June 11, 2025, to file their SOCEs. 'Seven days left before the last day to file SOCE…The submission must be made during weekdays, including Saturdays and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,' it said. National candidates and party-list groups may lodge their SOCEs before the Comelec Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) in Intramuros, Manila while local bets may submit their SOCEs at the local Comelec office where they filed their Certificate of Candidacy (COC). Local parties may lodge their SOCEs at the local poll body office where the party has constituency based on its registration and accreditation. Under Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized Elections Act, every candidate or treasurer of a political party shall file in duplicate with the offices of the Comelec the 'full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election' within 30 days after the elections. Candidates who will not file SOCEs will be charged with an administrative offense and will be liable to pay a fine ranging from P1,000 to P30,000.00 at the discretion of the poll body, with the exemption of aspirants in the barangay level. For winning bets or political parties, failure to comply may also withhold their assumption of office. Section 13 of RA 7166 provides the limitation of authorized expenses of candidates and political parties. It states that candidates vying for presidency and vice-presidency shall spend P10 for every voter currently registered in the constituency where he filed his certificate of candidacy. Aspirants with political parties will be allowed to spend P3 for every voter while independent candidates will be allowed up to P5. Political parties, for their part, are allowed up to P5 for every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies where it has official candidates. —AOL, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
GMA Network
27-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec: Only few Eleksyon 2025 bets have filed SOCEs
Just a few local and national candidates in Eleksyon 2025 have so far filed their Statements of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCEs) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), more than two weeks after the May 12 polls. Comelec Chairman George Garcia on Tuesday said, "Wala pa halos. Baka nagpapasa sila ng SOCE sa mga local Comelec pero sa national—whether party-list or Senado—wala pa halos nagfa-file sapagkat alam natin na hanggang June 11 ang filing," said poll chairperson George Erwin Garcia. (There are only a few candidates. Maybe some filed their SOCEs at the local Comelec offices but for the national bets, whether candidates for party-list or Senate, only a few have complied. We know that the filing deadline is on June 11.) Under Section 14 of Republic Act (RA) 7166 or the Synchronized Elections Act, every candidate or treasurer of a political party shall file in duplicate with the offices of the Comelec the "full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election" within 30 days after the elections, or until June 11, 2025. Candidates who fail to file their SOCEs will be charged with an administrative offense and will be liable to pay a fine from P1,000 to P30,000 at the discretion of the poll body, except for aspirants at the barangay level. For winning bets or political parties, failure to comply may also result in withholding the candidates' assumption of office. For his part, Garcia reminded Eleksyon 2025 bets—including those who withdrew their candidacies after February 11 for national posts or March 28 for local positions—to study their SOCEs to avoid election offenses. "Pinapa-remind natin ang lahat na sana pag-aralan nang mabuti ang SOCE na ifa-file nila. Alamin, tingnan mabuti, 'wag basta pipirma. Ibase lagi sa registered voters, hindi sa number of voters who actually voted sapagkat baka sumobra sa fina-file nila at therefore, makakasuhan sila ng kasong criminal," he said. (We want to remind candidates to study the SOCEs they intend to file. They should base it on registered voters and not the number of voters who actually voted because this may be filed with criminal cases.) "Violation ng SOCE rule and at the same time, puwedeng maging ground for perpetual disqualification para manungkulan, whether appointive or elective, lalo na at di sila makakapag file ng SOCEs," Garcia added. (That would constitute a violation of SOCE rules and may be used as ground for perpetual disqualification from public service, whether appointive or elective, especially if they fail to file SOCEs.) Section 13 of Republic Act (RA) 7166 provides the limitation of authorized expenses of candidates and political parties. It states that candidates vying for the presidency and vice-presidency shall spend P10 for every voter, while aspirants with political parties are allowed to spend P3 for every voter currently registered in the constituency where he or she filed his or her certificate of candidacy. Independent candidates, meanwhile, are allowed to spend up to P5 per voter. Political parties, for their part, are allowed up to P5 for every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies where it has official candidates. — VDV, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
