6 Lapu-Lapu winning bets file campaign expenditure reports

CEBU, Philippines - At least six winning candidates from Lapu-Lapu City have already filed campaign expenditure reports to the Commission on Elections for the 45-day campaign period.

Among them were councilor and Vice Mayor-elect Marcial Ycong, who filed an expenses report of P100,000, from his personal funds and contributions from other sources.

Ycong, in his report, said he spent P40,000 for campaign materials, P20,000 for mobilization, P10,000 for transportation, and the rest are miscellaneous expenses.

Ycong ran with Mayor-elect Paz Radaza, who will be filing her expenditure report before the deadline on June 9.

Outgoing Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, who won as congressman, and the rest of the winning slate will also follow file their expenditure reports to the Comelec.

The Election Code mandates a 30-day grace period for compliance from the day of the election which will lapse on June 9.

Councilor-elect Cornelio Pahang, Melissa Dignos-Vidal, Queenie Amman, Eduardo Cuizon, and Rodolfo Potot, all reelectionists, also filed their expenditure reports.

Amman spent P75,000; Dignos-Vidal, P67, 600; Cuizon, P58,000; Potot, P53, 500; and Pahang, P43, 800.

Election officer Ferdinand Gujilde said if a candidate belongs to a political party, the amount allowed to be spent will be the amount equivalent to the number of registered voters in a city multiplied by P3.00, and P5.00 if a candidate is running as an independent.

Gujilde said candidates who won should submit their list of expenditures before assuming their respective posts.

Gujilde also said candidates who lost would also be required to submit their campaign expenditure reports or they would be held administratively liable for non-compliance and would be fined from P1,000 to P20,000 in the first offense, and for the second offense P2,000 to P60,000 and a perpetual disqualification to hold public office.   (FREEMAN NEWS)