A fine of P10,000 will be imposed on the 15 candidates in the May 13, 2019 national and local elections in the province of Catanduanes who failed to submit their respective Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) to the Commission on Elections last June 13, 2019.

According to the Office of the Provincial Elections Supervisor (OPES), the candidates who failed to file their SOCEs on time came from Gigmoto with five (5), Virac with three (3), Caramoran and San Miguel with two (2) each, and Baras, Bato, and Pandan with one (1) each.

The report did not clarify if the non-complying poll bets all lost their bids for public office.

It is claimed that one of the two bets from Caramoran was not able to file his SOCE as he was wanted by the local police for an unspecified criminal charge.

All the provincial-level candidates filed their SOCEs on time with OPES while the same was replicated by the candidates in the towns of Panganiban, San Andres and Viga.

The statements should have been filed 30 days after the elections by all candidates and political parties, including candidates who were self-funded, did not incur any expenses during the campaign period, or withdrew their candidacies during the campaign period.

SOCEs filed beyond the deadline are no longer accepted except from those who won the elections but they will not be allowed to assume office unless they do so and pay penalties.

The number for the 2019 polls is a little less than the 18 recorded by COMELEC for the 2013 elections. At the time, a provincial bet – gubernatorial aspirant Larry Que – was fined P25,000 while the other 17 municipal candidates were meted P10,000 each in penalties.

In 2010, a record 41 candidates, including three at the provincial level who were later fined P10,000 each, did not file their SOCEs at the deadline. The other 38 municipal bets were directed to pay P2,000 for the violation.