Pacquiao spends over P66.4 M for Senate bid

MANILA, Philippines — Senator-elect Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao spent over P66.4 million of personal funds for his senatorial campaign.

Based on his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the boxer turned lawmaker’s expenditures, paid out of his personal funds and resources, amounted to P66,428,468.88. He said he did not receive cash and in-kind contributions from other sources or his political party.

Pacquiao’s SOCE notarized by lawyer Jason de Belen was filed on Monday.

SOCE of Lacson, Recto, and Moreno

Aside from Pacquiao, incoming Sens. Ralph Recto and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson Jr. also submitted their SOCE before the Comelec on Tuesday.  

Lacson received a total of P90,474,333 of combined in-kind and cash contributions and returned unspent cash donations of P2.5 million. He did not spend his own resources. On the other hand, Recto's total campaign expenditures amounted to P131,867,403.89. He received P111,650,000 from other sources, while P20,217,403.89 was from his own funds.

Meanwhile, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial bet Alma Moreno also filed her SOCE and declared that she used personal funds amounting to P134,233 during the three-month campaign period.

“Comelec has certified as fully compliant the Statement Of Contributions and Expenditures that we filed this morning. Good luck to the others,” Lacson said in his Twitter account.

As of Tuesday, no presidential or vice presidential candidate has submitted their SOCE. Comelec has set the deadline of filing of the SOCE on June 8, Wednesday.  

The poll body said that failure to file it would result to a non-issuance of the certificate of compliance and elected officials may face perpetual disqualification cases.