Comelec finance office recommends perpetual disqualification of Osmeña

The Campaign Finance Office of the Commission on Elections has recommended the perpetual disqualification from holding any public office of former senator Sergio Osmeña III after his alleged failure to file his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) twice when he ran for senator in 2010 and 2016.

"He failed to file [SOCE] even after notice was given to him," Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told GMA News Online on Tuesday.

He said that Osmeña will be given a chance to defend himself and added that processing the recommendation for perpetual disqualification may take some time.

"It is likely that he will be able to run for office pero may pending disqualification [case] against him," Jimenez said.

Jimenez explained that the SOCE is crucial because the law requires that poll candidates should not exceed the spending limit set for campaign activities.

For candidates belonging to a political party, the campaign spending limit is equivalent to P3 per voter; P5 per voter for independent candidates, according to the Comelec.

'It's not fair'

But Osmeña said that the aforementioned recommendation was "not fair."

"The Comelec should not disqualify me because of filing [my] SOCE late," Osmeña told GMA News Online.

He explained that Comelec allowed him to file his campaign expenses about 10 to 15 days late when he won the senatorial bid in 2010.

Osmeña said he paid a fine but cannot recall anymore how much it was.

The former senator also said that he tried to reach out to the Comelec regarding his failure to file his SOCE on time in 2016.

"I filed in 2010 and I'm willing to file in 2016 but they did not pay attention to me," Osmeña said.

"A year later, the Comelec wrote me and I said 'Yes, give me a chance to file.' Pero di na rin ako sinagot," he added.

He admitted that he filed his SOCE late in 2010 because he was too busy with the affairs of being the campaign manager of former President Benigno Aquino III; in 2016, Osmeña said his files in the office were in shambles after the election that's why he was not able to submit the report on time.

Osmeña said he believes that the recommendation for his perpetual disqualification will not affect his senatorial bid in the upcoming 2019 midterm elections.

"I will bring this up to Comelec en banc... it will not affect me. I think the Comelec will have a decision by the end of November and they will decide in my favor," he said. — RSJ, GMA News