The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has urged the public to scrutinize the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) of candidates for Eleksyon 2025, which will be made publicly available.
Comelec Chair George Garcia emphasized the importance of public oversight to ensure the accuracy of the reported contributions and expenditures.
While Garcia acknowledged that the SOCE only covers campaign expenses within the official election period and not the pre-campaign period, he stressed that public scrutiny is crucial for accountability.
He also noted that if candidates and donors conspired to underreport expenses, it would be difficult to detect.
Despite these challenges, Garcia stated that requiring candidates to submit SOCE ensures transparency and accountability in the election process.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 9, 2025
