No SOCE, No office: Comelec warns winning bets may not assume posts

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Didn’t file your SOCE? You might not sit in the office this July.

With the deadline for the submission of the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) set on June 11, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Central Visayas warned that candidates, especially the winning ones, risk being barred from assuming office if they would fail to comply.

Lawyer Francisco Pobe, the regional director of Comelec-7, said that out of the 2,385 who filed certificates of candidacy (COC) across Central Visayas for the 2025 midterm elections, only 839 had submitted their SOCEs as of Monday. That includes 444 from Cebu and 395 from Bohol.

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“Chances are, magdali-dali gyud ni sila ug submit sa ilang records kay ugma na ang deadline,” Pobe said in a media forum on Tuesday, June 10.

(Chances are they would rush to submit their records because the deadline is tomorrow.)

He added, “We’re expecting a last-minute rush. But after tomorrow, we in the regional office will no longer accept submissions—they’ll have to file in Manila and face the consequences.”

Consequences

Pobe said candidates who would fail to file their SOCEs on time might face legal and administrative sanctions.

“For the non-winners, they may be charged with a criminal offense. It might also be one of the grounds for disqualification if they run again in future elections,” he said.

But for winning candidates, the stakes are higher.

“For winning candidates, the decision is up to the DILG. We encourage compliance, and resolutions provided that they will not be allowed to assume office if they fail to file their SOCE,” Pobe said.

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He stressed that several candidates from the 2022 elections had already been summoned and charged for failing to file their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs).

“The Comelec is really serious in running after those who fail to comply,” he said.

Filing is not the finish line

Pobe clarified that filing a SOCE would not automatically mean a candidate would be in the clear.

The campaign finance department in Comelec’s Manila office will still evaluate the contents and check for compliance with existing election finance rules.

“This filing is just for compliance. But that does not mean that you are free or cleared already,” he said.

“The documents are transmitted to Manila where they will assess whether your documentations and liquidations are in line with allowable expenditures,” he added.

Under Philippine election laws, candidates for local posts are allowed to spend only P3 per voter. While Pobe admitted the amount was outdated, he said the law had remained unchanged.

“Mao gyud na ang basehan karon. Be it obsolete, but wala man nausab atong balaod,” he said.

(That is what we based now. Be it obsolete, but the law has not been changed.)

He emphasized that a SOCE would be proof that a candidate’s campaign spending followed the law.

“Kaning SOCE, mao ni ang proof nga ang imong gigasto nisubay sa allowed expenditure sa gobyerno,” he said.

(This SOCE, that is proof that the one’s spent follows the allowed expenditures in the government.)

No extension, no excuses

Meanwhile, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the June 11 deadline was final.

“There is no extension. We do not plan to give an extension to anyone who asks. That is the deadline, June 11,” Garcia said.

He reminded candidates that the deadline had been announced long ago.

“Therefore, you have to face the consequences of non-filing of SOCE,” he added.

SOCEs are to be submitted in hard copy and electronic form (PDF and Excel format) at the Comelec offices. Submissions via email, registered mail, courier, or messengers are not accepted.

Only candidates who submit their SOCEs on time and in proper format will be issued a Certificate of Formal Compliance, which is a prerequisite for assuming office.

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