Believe it or not?

CEBU, Philippines - Bets’ poll expenses not in millions Losers are the bigger spenders than the winners The filing of statement of contributions and expenditures (SCE) by all candidates—winners, losers and those who withdrew candidacies—in the recent May 13 elections officially ended last June 13.

A local election official explained that the SCE documents will be submitted to the law department of Comelec central office for determination if a candidate is telling the truth or not.

Based on the records submitted so far, however, would you believe that majority of the candidates, especially the winners, declared expenses that never breach the million mark, indicating that one does not need to spend millions to run and win for an elective post?

Take these reports from correspondents in three regions in the Visayas:

REGION 7 (Central Visayas)

DUMAGUETE CITY – Defeated gubernatorial bet, 1st district Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong , recorded the highest expenses by spending a total of P2,289,679.12 without any contribution from other sources.

Based on the statement of expenditures submitted by Limkaichong, she spent more on printed materials at P899,132.40, transportation expenses at P819,033.20, tri-media ads at P544,913.62 and political meetings and rallies at P26,600.

Next top spender was another defeated gubernatorial bet, former Finance Secretary Margarito Gary Teves with P1,991.013.28, with over P1.17 million of this spent on advertisements.

Incumbent Governor Roel Degamo, who defeated Teves and Limkaichong, only came in third with total expenses of P1,699,500. Degamo’s biggest expenditure was P800,000 on travels during the campaign, while losing bet Sammy Torres was the lowest spender among them.

Vice Governor-elect Mark Macias, for his part, only spent P100,211.60, even less than the expenses of his defeated rival, former Negros Oriental State University president Dr. Henry Sojor, whose expenditures was pegged at P360,000.

Among bets for congressional posts, re-elected Rep. George Arnaiz (2nd district) spent P751,100, his defeated rival and incumbent Bais City Mayor Karen Villanueva (P391,154.60); defeated candidate for the 1st district, Jerome Paras (P225,000.00); and re-elected 3rd district Rep. Pryde Henry Teves (P391,923.80).

Other available data at the Comelec provincial office showed some of the candidates for Provincial Board Member with the “biggest” election spending and contributions, were: Dexter Villamor (P490,000); Mariant Escaño-Villegas (P174,323); Rommel Erames (P138,500); Maria Edita Vera (P112,402); Edmund Dy (P96,881.90); Erwin Macias (P95,000); Rouie David de los Santos (P90,500); Peve Ligan (P90,000); and Arturo Umbac, Jr. (P14,800). —Judy Flores Partlow and Juancho R. Gallarde

Eliseo R.Z. B. Labaria, Siquijor election supervisor here told The Freeman that Comelec records showed that the losers here have the bigger expenses than their winning opponents.

Defeated congressional re-electionist Orlando Fua Jr. spent P194,412, against the winner Marie Anne Pernes, who replaced her dead husband and spending P155,020.88. Losing gubernatorial bet Orville Fual spent P175,000 against the winner Zaldy Villa (P137,992), while Arturo Pacatang spent P123,031 but lost to actor Dingdong Avanzado who spent P89,132.45 only. —Renan Lapinig Ansing

REGION 6 (Western Visayas)

BACOLOD CITY — Outgoing Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr, defeated gubernatorial bet of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), was the biggest spender in Negros Occidental with a total expenditure of P1,853,919. Coming next was his opponent, re-elected Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., who spent P1,776,601 to win by a margin of about 170,000 votes against Alvarez.

Vice Governor-elect Eugenio Jose Lacson spent only P271,690, while his opponent, 5th district Provincial Board Member Melvin Ibañez spent a measly P85,000 for the province-wide campaign.

The top spending bet for Bacolod City posts was Mayor-elect Monico Puentevella who spent P1,301,140 to defeat outgoing Bacolod Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson (P647,673). For the city’s vice-mayoralty race, Renecito Novero spent P946,227 in a losing bid against Greg Gasataya who only shelled out P167,092 in the campaign.

City Rep. Anthony Rolando Golez Jr., spent P1,250,000 but lost his re-election bid to outgoing Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia who only spent P690,270, while defeated Lyndon Caña, who also lost, spent P973,825 only.

In the provincial districts, 1st District Rep. Julio Ledesma IV gained re-election by spending P247,500 only against PB Member Nehemias de la Cruz (P500,000), while Representative-elect Leo Rafael Cueva of the 2nd District spent P302,573 lesser than his opponent Otilia Galilea (P331,502).

Reelected 3rd District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez spent P811,196 to defeat Jose Carlos Lacson (P284,991), while re-elected 4th District Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer spent P479,994 against his opponent Ike Barredo (P209,773).

Reelected 5th District Rep. Alejandro Mirasol had total expenses of P495,650, defeating his nephew, outgoing 5th District PB Member Emilio Yulo III (P119,890), while 6th District Rep.Mercedes Alvarez won re-election by spending P354,860 against Philip Arles (P140,000)..

Among the candidates for PB members, the biggest spender was Jose Ma. Astorga at P339,253 but he lost against incumbents Salvador Escalante who spent P47,000 only and Miller Serondo (P65,000). Other winning PB members, with their expenses were: Alain Gatuslao (P145,665), Patrick Leonard Lacson (P120,000), Johanna Ko (P70,350), Jose Benito Alonzo (P66,000), Renato Gustilo (P64,500), Helen Zafra (P52,000), Pedro Zayco (P50,102), and Victor Javellana (P50,000). —Danny B. Dangcalan

REGION 8 (Eastern Visayas)

TACLOBAN CITY – Vice Governor-elect Carlo Petilla Loreto of Leyte was the province’s biggest spender among candidates with P1.17 million in total expenses, while his cousin, Governor-elect Leopoldo Dominico Loreto Petilla, who ran unopposed, declared spending P 752,276.

For congressional seats, 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez got reelected without opposition but by spending P727,000 only; 2nd District Rep. Sergio Apostol spent P528,220 to win reelection in his district of about 225,000 voting population; and 3rd District Rep. Andres Salvacion was also reelected by spending P274,000 for a voting population of 107,000.

Reelected 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez spent P202,473 in the district that has the biggest voting population of 270,000, against Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla who spent more with P561,200.75, while 5th District Rep. Jose Carlos Cari spent P545,339.90 to get reelected in his district of about 222,000 voters.

In Ormoc City, Richard Gomez declared spending P 210,751.10 in his losing bid against Mayor-elect Edward Codilla who spent P306,391.79. Vice Mayor-elect Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr said he spent P124,823.92 to win against Dr. Dennis Capuyan (P96,171) and Claudio Larrazabal, who spent more (P266,611.08).

In Tacloban City, re-elected Mayor Alfred Romualdez reported spending P276,599.22 while his wife, Cristina, spent P126,078 to win another term as city councilor. (FREEMAN)