Comelec perpetually disqualifies 3 candidates over missing SOCEs

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has perpetually disqualified three candidates from holding public office for failing to file their respective Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs).

In a report on Monday, 26 October, the poll body said it had issued separate rulings against Alvaro Endrinal Eduardo, Mohammad Nur Langco Arobinto and Ron Trinos Retaga.

The cases were filed by the Comelec’s Political Finance and Affairs Department.

Eduardo ran for the congressional seat of Oriental Mindoro’s First District in 2022 and for a seat in the province’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan in 2016. However, he failed to file his SOCEs for both elections.

The Comelec imposed administrative fines of ₱20,000 for his first offense and ₱40,000 for his second offense.

Arobinto, meanwhile, failed to file his SOCEs in 2013 and 2022, when he ran for a seat in the Sangguniang Bayan of Buadiposo Buntong, Lanao del Sur.

He was ordered to pay administrative fines of ₱10,000 for the first offense and ₱20,000 for the second offense.

The poll body also found that Retaga failed to file his SOCEs in 2016 and 2022, when he ran for a seat in the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Cabuyao City, Laguna.

Retaga was ordered to pay administrative fines of ₱15,000 for the first offense and ₱30,000 for the second offense.