Thursday, June 14, 2007 Gwen over Yapha, Patalinjug over Radaza, Tingting over Nerissa By Minerva B. Gerodias Sun.Star Staff Reporter With Oscar C. Pineda
SPENDING more than P3.7 million from her personal funds in the last elections helped Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia get a fresh mandate, with a margin of almost half a million votes.
Most of her expenses went to legal and para-legal services and honorarium to lawyers, which totaled P1.420 million.
She also spent more than P1.3 million for her campaign materials through radio plugs.
Rep. Antonio Yapha Jr., on the other hand, spent a total of P1.5 million while another defeated gubernatorial bet, Mary Joyce Osmeña, said she spent a little over P1 million.
Yapha declared he received P1 million in contributions from the Nationalist People’s Coalition, although his official party when he filed his certificate of candidacy was Partido Demokratikong Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP).
He also received P300,000 contributed by his friends and spent P222,430 from his own funds.
Thirteen candidates, both victorious and defeated, filed their statement of contributions and expenditures before the Provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) Office yesterday, which was originally set as the deadline.
But Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said that Comelec has moved the deadline to June 29.
Election Assistant Boy Gonnie Neis said the different election officers and supervisors have been informed about the extension through a telegram.
It is not clear what Comelec does to verify the candidates’ contribution and spending reports. Nor has any Cebuano aspirant or elected official ever been charged with overspending.
In Lapu-Lapu City, acting Mayor Norma Patalinjug turned out to be the last election’s biggest spender, according to records the candidates submitted to Comelec. She spent P700,000, according to her statement.
Suspended Mayor Arturo Radaza reported the third largest amount spent, at P398,631.
City Election Officer Ann Janette Chua Hu-Lamban said they will send all the records to Manila for the office to check and verify.
Lapu-Lapu City has 148,870 registered voters, which means candidates who belong to a party can spend only up to P744,350.
Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz of the sixth district said she spent P775,000, and P450,000 of this was donated by her friends.
Vicente de la Serna, who ran for Congress in the sixth district but lost, said he spent more than P1.6 million. More than P1.3 million was contributed while he spent more than P300,000 from his personal funds.
Both third district congressional bets Pablo John Garcia and Estrella Yapha spent more than P700,000 in the last elections.
But Garcia, who won, said he did not receive any contributions while Yapha said she received P600,000 from her party, Lakas-CMD.
Defeated Provincial Board (PB) candidate Raul Bacaltos declared that he only spent P120,000 in the last elections.
Also among those who filed was Joven Mondigo Jr., a winning candidate for PB of the fourth district. He spent P257,000.
Mondigo’s fellow candidate, Ribomaphil Holganza Jr., also filed his statement yesterday and declared that he spent P500,000.
Filemon Alberca, defeated PB candidate for the second district, said he spent P100,000 while Fernando Celeste, also a defeated PB bet for the second district, said he spent P120,000.
Edilito Martinez, who ran for Congress in the fourth district, declared he spent P40,000. In Lapu-Lapu City, most of the winning councilors are incumbent officials and among those who reported the lowest expenditures.
Councilor-elect Eduardo Cuizon, president of the Association of Barangay Councils, and Councilor-elect Alexander Gestopa are both the lowest spenders, at only P50,000 each.
On top of the list is Patalinjug, who spent a total of P700,000, with contributions amounting to P300,000 and P400,000 in personal funds.
Next only to Patalinjug, council candidate Lorenzo Igot spent the second largest amount, a total of P444,000.
Radaza told the Comelec he spent only P398,631.
Outgoing Councilor Eugene Espedido, who lost his vice mayoral bid, is the fifth in the list, spending P198,580. Councilor-elect Junard Chan is the sixth, with P171,910 in total expenses.
Vice mayor-elect Mario Amores reported spending only P148,000.
Number one Councilor-elect Marcial Ycong was the third lowest spender, with P10,000 in contributions and P50,000 in personal funds.
At second lowest is Councilor-elect Efren Herrera, a former congressman, who said he spent only only P59,135 to get elected.
