MANILA - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will not extend the June 13 deadline for the filing of campaign finance reports (Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures) for the 2013 elections, according to Commissioner Christian Lim.
At a briefing organized by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Lim warned contractors and donors they are criminally liable if they fail to submit their corresponding reports.
Violators could face six years in jail.
Ironically, Congress removed criminal liability for the candidates. Instead, they face fines, and repeat violators could face proceedings for perpetual disqualification from public office.
Lim also said the Comelec reminded the government of a Memorandum of Agreement it signed with the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, not to allow any local government official to take the oath of office without filing of the campaign finance reports.
Lim reminded candidates to use the new forms prescribed by the Comelec. He said a few local bets have filed under wrong formats.
He said no senatorial bet or party-list has filed the required report.
The Comelec, he added, will also go through the 2007 and 2010 election figures to check for multiple offenders.
The poll body, Lim said, will be submitting a draft bill to amend the Omnibus Election Code.