FROM how it looks, the controversial Alice Guo may not be able to complete her first term as Municipal Mayor of Bamban as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) hinted at taking another look at her Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
According to Comelec Chairman George Garcia, there could be another way to remove Guo provided somebody from Bamban steps forward to ask the poll body to scrutinize the mayor’s SOCE.
Unlike the candidates who are bound to comply with a deadline in submitting SOCE, registered voters are not covered by a timeline to lodge a request or complaint questioning the truthfulness of what was declared in the SOCE.
“Ang period po ng pagsa-submit ang hindi po sa mga nagrereklamo kundi doon sa mga kandidato. May period iyan 30 days after the election dapat mag-submit ng SOCE. Pero walang nakalagay kung hanggang kailan pwedeng magreklamo na mali ang sinubmit na SOCE ng mga kandidato,” the Comelec chief explained.
Garcia added that SOCE isn’t just a document, even as he insisted that such form is an execution of oath by the affiant to be “truthful as declared.”
Based on Guo’s SOCE, she only spent P134,000 when she ran for mayor in Bamban.
“Pwede pa… patuloy pa naming tinitingnan yan. Tandaan niyo, ang lahat ng SOCE pinanumpaan. Kung mali ang sinumpaan, perjury. Kung hindi totoo ang mga nakalagay doon, pwede naming kasuhan at balikan yung mismong kandidato. What for is the submission kung yun pala hindi naman makatotohanan,” he averred.
“Sana po talaga may makapag-report sa amin ng mga bagay, alam niyo po eh nasa mga kababayan din natin na ito po ay isang paalala maging vigilant po tayo, mapagmatyag, mapagmasid.”
Sometime in 2019, Comelec ruled to disqualify over issues surrounding SOCE a certain Emilio Viliran Arnaez who reportedly filed his candidacy for the seat in the local council of Tanjay City in Negros Oriental – and again in 2022 as mayoralty candidate.
Comelec also disqualified former Cainta Councilor Jino Alcantara for failure to submit SOCE covering two elections.
To make things for Bamban residents, Garcia said that they’re planning to post all SOCEs on the Comelec website – and that includes Guo’s declaration. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
