COMELEC may declare those who fail to submit SOCE as nuisance candidates

MANILA, Philippines, July 16 (Eagle News) — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said that they are studying the possibility of declaring candidates who failed to file their Statement of Contributions and Expenses (SOCE) and are also planning to run again in the 2016 elections as nuisance candidates.

Said declaration is a prerogative of the COMELEC. The COMELEC already fined more than 5,000 candidates who failed to declare their SOCE last election, including several incumbents.

(Eagle News Service Jay Paul Carlos, Jericho Morales, MRFaith Bonalos)