Comelec to look into allegations of election overspending in 2007

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said it will look into allegations made by a network of civil society organizations that several senatorial candidates during the 2007 elections violated laws on election spending. In an interview, Rafael Rafanan, head of Comelec's legal department, said he has requested group Pera at Pulitika to furnish his office a copy of its study indicating the overspending of certain senatorial candidates. Rafanan said this study is contrary to reports submitted by the candidates to Comelec after the elections. "The reports of the candidates showed they all complied with the law," Rafanan said. Under Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized Election Law, candidates are allowed to spend P3 per registered voter or approximately P135million per senatorial candidate. In its study, Pera at Pulitika said seven senatorial bets violated the RA 7166, namely: Prospero Pichay,with an estimated spending of P224 million; Manuel Villar Jr, P212 million; Joker Arroyo, P178 million; Ralph Recto, P164 million; Edgardo Angara, P164 million; Loren Legarda, P147 million; and Michael Defensor, P143 million. It also said other big spenders during the 2007 elections included Vicente Sotto, (P128 million); Tessie Aquino-Oreta (P128 million); Miguel Zubiri (P125 million); Chavit Singson (109 milllion); Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino Jr (P107 million), but noted that these candidates spent within the limit of the law. The group said certain senatorial bets also violated Republic Act 9066 or the Fair Elections Act which allows candidates in national election only 120 minutes airtime in television and 180 minutes airtime in radio for the entire campaign. The group said Arroyo had a total of 289 minutes airtime in TV; Angara, 251 minutes; Villar, 243 minutes; Francis Pangilinan, 181 minutes; Aquino, 165 minutes; Zubiri, 153 minutes; and Legarda, 146minutes. While the winning senatorial candidates who allegedly violated the limits in radio airtime were Villar, 7,883 minutes; Zubiri, 5, 315 minutes; Legarda, 4,371 minutes; Angara, 4,170 minutes; Arroyo, 3,061 minutes and Escudero, 3,983 minutes. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV