OUTGOING Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III had four campaign donors during his campaign for vice governor during the May 2019 elections.
This is according to his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (Soce) filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu Province at 3:53 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, 2019.
Davide spent a total of P1,065,195.07, based on his Soce.
His father, former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., donated P500,000, and three other donors, namely Florencio Kennedy Coronel, Rene Atienza and Erwin Ruben Mutuc, individually donated P50,000 each.
The rest of his expenditures, an estimate of P415,195.07, came from his personal funds.
A day before the deadline for the filing of the Soce, there were already 32 candidates who had submitted as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 12.
Other big spenders were incoming fifth district congressman Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco (P999,702.96), incoming sixth district Provincial Board (PB) Member Glenn Anthony Soco (P512,273.31), reelected first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas (P541,611.11), Bakud Party candidate Alejandro Lawas (P718,903.50) and fifth district candidate for congressman Ramon Durano VI (P782,664.30).
The candidates who spent the least were fourth district PB candidate Miguel Angelo Pacheco (P16,400), reelected fourth district PB member Horacio Paul Franco (P20,500), seventh district PB candidate Erick Elmer Gica (P20,800) and fourth district congressional candidate Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. (P21,790).
As of this writing, Cebu governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia and outgoing Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale had yet to file their Soces.
The Comelec is expecting 16 Soce left to be filed today, June 13.
Comelec rules require candidates, whether they win or lose, to submit their Soce 30 days after the day of the election, or 30 days after May 13. Failure to submit the Soce means the elected official cannot assume office.
As stated in Republic Act 7166, an act providing for synchronized national and local elections and for electoral reforms, an aspiring president or vice president can spend only P10 per registered voter, while other candidates may spend P3 per voter.
Independent election bets or candidates without the support of political parties may spend up to P5 per voter.
In Cebu, a gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial candidate may spend up to P6,476,688.
There were around 2,158,896 registered voters in Cebu Province for last May’s elections. (JJL)