DILG urges newly-elected LGU officials to submit SOCE

 

DAGUPAN CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued a memorandum advising newly-elected and reelected  Local Government Units officials to submit their poll contributions and expenses to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) by June 9.

 

DILG City Director Rhoderick M. Dawis said the memorandum was  addressed to all newly-elected and reelected local officials in the city from the city mayor, vice-mayor and down to members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod requiring each one  to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) to the COMELEC before they will be allowed to assume office.

 

“Newly-elected and reelected local officials must comply with what the law mandates and submit a certification thereof to the DILG showing that they have complied with their obligation by June 17 before they will be allowed to take their oath of office,” said Dawis.

 

Republic Act (RA) No. 7166, otherwise known as “Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms Act” provides that “No person elected to any public office shall enter or assume the duties of his office until he has filed his or her SOCE.”

 

The law further states that “Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Comelec the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election.

 

Dawis further states that winning candidates must also present a Certification from Comelec that he or she has satisfactorily complied with his or her obligation under Section 14 of RA No. 7166 by filing his or her SOCE with the Comelec.

 

“In the absence of this certification, winning candidates cannot execute his or her duties as elected official pursuant to the provision of the law,” he said.

 

For the newly-elected local government officials who will be filing their SOCE for the first time, the DILG office will be more than willing to assist them, Dawis disclosed. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO)