TWO newly elected barangay councilors and 45 other Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilors failed to file their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) for the 2018 Barangay and SK elections.

City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said yesterday, June 19, that only 78 percent of more than 2,300 candidates, both winners and losers, have met the June 13 deadline for the submission of SOCE.

“Of about 500 candidates who failed to submit their SOCE, two are newly elected kagawads of barangays 41 and Punta Taytay, while 45 others are newly elected SK Councilors from various barangays in Bacolod,” said Majarucon-Sia.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) records showed that elected Councilors Telesforo Neri of Barangay Punta Taytay and John Jay Aguilar of Barangay 41 have yet to file their SOCE.

Majarucon-Sia noted that the two councilors along with 45 newly elected SK councilors may not be able to assume office on June 30.

“We are still waiting for guidelines from the Comelec central office on whether or not we can still accept late documents for Soce,” she said.

The Comelec’s Campaign Finance Department will send notices to erring candidates and require to submit their explanations.

Candidates who failed to submit SOCE for the first time will face an administrative fine, while repeat offenders may face an administrative fine and disqualification to run for public office, Majarucon-Sia said.

The election officer added that they will soon forward a list to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement the penalties for the elected barangay officials who failed to submit their SOCE.