Comelec bans 3 over SoCE raps

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

The poll body said Monday it had issued separate rulings against Alvaro Endrinal Eduardo, Mohammad Nur Langco Arobinto and Ron Trinos Retaga in cases filed by its Political Finance and Affairs Department.

Eduardo, who ran for the congressional seat of Oriental Mindoro’s First District in 2022 and for provincial board member in 2016, failed to submit his SoCEs for both elections. The Comelec fined him P20,000 for the first offense and P40,000 for the second.

Arobinto failed to file his SoCEs after running for Sangguniang Bayan member in Buadiposo Buntong, Lanao del Sur, in 2013 and 2022. He was fined P10,000 for the first offense and P20,000 for the second.