A total of 1,445 out of 1,557 candidates during the May 12 elections in Negros Island Region (NIR) were able to beat the deadline in filing the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) on June 11, data released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed.
“For the whole region, there is 92.81 percent compliance,” Comelec-NIR Regional Director Lionel Marco Castillano said during the post-election assessment held at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office headquarters in Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. here Wednesday.
In Negros Occidental, 703 or 90.36 percent of the 778 candidates submitted their SOCEs while in Negros Oriental, 589 or 95.46 percent of the 617 candidates were able to file.
Siquijor has 94.44 percent compliance, or 153 out of the 162 candidates.
“Supposedly, all candidates, winning or losing, and even those who withdrew their candidacies should file their SOCEs,” Castillano said.
According to Comelec rules, any candidate who failed to submit SOCE would not be allowed to assume the post and may also face an administrative case.
Candidates who have complied will be issued a certificate of formal compliance, which they must submit upon assumption of office.
Meanwhile, Castillano said that after the Philippine National Police classified the fatal election day shooting in Silay City, Negros Occidental as an election-related incident, the area of concern status of the city will be changed to “yellow” from “green”.
Areas under the yellow category are those with history of election-related incidents, while those under the green category are areas with no election-related security concerns.
Castillano said that despite the violence that claimed the lives of two people and injured seven others, people still went out to vote as indicated in the region’s voter turnout of 84.52 percent.
“That is the highest in a midterm election, surpassing the national average of 82 percent. It means people came out to vote because they felt the presence of the police and military, assuring them of a peaceful election. Even with what happened in Silay, the voting did not stop,” he said. (PNA)