Comelec rules
It is truly amazing how the Comelec can get away with so much stupidity. Last Thursday, the poll body voted to extend what it has always insisted was a nonextendable deadline for the filing of statements of campaign contributions and expenditures by candidates who ran in the May 9, 2016 elections. Maybe it is about time somebody told the Comelec that if it cannot enforce its own rules, better not make them at all.
According to its rules, all candidates, whether winners and losers, must file their SOCEs within a specified time. In the case of the May 9, 2016 election, the unextendable deadline was June 10. Those who cannot file face certain sanctions, ranging from fines to being barred from assuming office. It is also specified that if a candidate has filed a personal SOCE but his political party has not, the same sanctions will still apply.
Along comes the "daang matuwid" Liberal Party. While all other parties managed to file their SOCEs on time, the LP did not. Neither did its candidate for president, Mar Roxas. The failure of LP and standardbearer Roxas to file SOCEs complicated and jeopardized the assumption into office of many winning LP candidates, most notably winning vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo.
Robredo herself filed her own SOCE. But since the LP failed as a party to file its SOCE, Robredo cannot, under Comelec rules, assume office unless the Comelec extends its unextendable rule. Faced with a leadership vacuum as a result of LP's failure to file its SOCE, the Comelec capitulated. Voting 4 to 3, the poll body extended its non-extendable SOCE deadline.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, trying to defend the indefensible, said the consequences of not extending the deadline were dire as many would not be able to assume office. Trying to patronize voters without appearing to, Jimenez said it would not be right and unfair if winners are unable to assume office as
"daang matuwid"
‘If Jimenez cannot be mentally honest, he better just stick to announcing the decision and not try to rationalize it because the more he opens his mouth, the more preposterous he sounds.’