Young spends P1.3M during last elections

CEBU, Philippines - Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young was the biggest spender in the last elections among Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) candidates who filed their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) at the Commission on Elections Office Cebu City yesterday.

Young declared a total expenditure of P1,337,277.41.

Both BOPK congressional bets, congressman-elect and outgoing councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, and congressman-elect Raul del Mar also submitted their SOCE yesterday.

Abellanosa declared a total expense of P P895,927.04 while del Mar said he spent P660,000.00.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, 16 candidates from Cebu City have already submitted their SOCE and 11 of them were BOPK candidates for councilors.

Of the 11, reelected councilor Sisinio Andales had the least expenditure of P59,000 while councilor-elect Nestor Archival spent the biggest with P514,463.26.

Ranking far second from Archival is reelected councilor Richard Osmena declaring P213,243.50 total expenses followed by another reelected councilor Lea Japson with P180,107.15.

Fourth and fifth were defeated outgoing councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe with P166,028.28 and reelected councilor Alvin Dizon with P141,738.68.

Reelected councilor Noel Wenceslao ranked sixth with a total election expense of P114,078.00 followed by another reelected councilor Nida Cabrera with P90,174.00.

Councilor-elect Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. declared a total expense of P76,157.00, reelected councilor Roberto Cabarrubias spent P69,118.37, and councilor-elect Gerardo Carillo declared P64,418.00 as total expenditure.

The only Team Rama who has submitted her SOCE was defeated congressional aspirant Annabelle Rama Gutierrez.

She declared a total expense amounting to P504,686 while independent candidate Florencio Villarin registered P263,957.00.

City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) chairman Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde reminded the candidates that their office will be opened today, Independence Day, to accommodate deadline beaters.

“Comelec officials and staff members will be on overtime tomorrow (June 12) until 5 in the afternoon for the deadline of submission for SOCE. There will be no extensions. Failure to submit would mean they would be penalized,” Gujilde told reporters.

He added that third offense would mean perpetual disqualification from running for public office.

Gujilde also noted that winning candidates who fail to submit their SOCE on time will be prevented from assuming office until they secure a certificate of compliance, which is issued once the SOCE is received by any Comelec office.

For congressional, mayoral and vice mayoral candidates, first offense means a fine of P20,000 with the amount doubling for the second offense while city council candidates will be fined P15,000 for first offense which also doubles for the second offense.  — (FREEMAN)