Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party — PDP-Laban — is asking the high court to declare as illegal the decision by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend the deadline in the filing of campaign expense reports.
Party lawyer George Garcia said the poll body violated a provision of Republic Act 7166 which states that the Statement of Campaign Expenditures (SOCE) should be filed within 30 days after the elections. He said the deadline cannot be extended.
The party said the poll body should not tolerate the “whims and caprices” of the Liberal Party (LP) of Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III. The LP had asked for an extension saying the expense documents were voluminous.
Also read: Roxas, Liberal Party seek extension to submit campaign spending report
“Sa aming palagay ang Comelec po ay walang kapangyarihan na mag extend ng filing po nito,” Garcia said.
[Translation: We believe the Comelec has no power to extend the filing (of SOCE).]
This is the second petition challenging the Comelec resolution to extend the filing of the SOCE.
A petition filed by Manuelito Luna of 1-Abilidad party list and retired army colonel Justino Padiernos was junked by the high tribunal on a technicality — they failed to attach a copy of the Comelec resolution.
Luna’s appeal of the court’s ruling is still pending.
