- GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the election period ended Nov. 29, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office reported that it has apprehended 41 violators of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban since it was enforced on Aug. 28 in line with the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
Convicted gun ban violators may face a jail term of two years without probation, and disqualified to hold public office, deprived of the right to suffrage, as provided by law.
At the end of election period, the gun ban and the ban on the implementation of government projects are lifted, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said.
Based on the latest Comelec data, only 23.48 percent of all candidates in Negros Occidental have submitted their statement of contribution and
expenditures (SOCE).
Those who failed to submit their SOCE will face a penalty from the Comelec, he added.
The submission of the SOCE is a requirement prescribed by the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines to determine compliance with the expenditure limit of a candidate.
There will be no extension of deadlines for the filing of SOCE for candidates who participated in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 30. | GB
