By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
Incoming Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu was the biggest campaign spender in the 2025 local elections, according to the local Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office.
Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II at the Iloilo City COMELEC, said Thursday that 31 out of 34 candidates filed their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
Treñas-Chu reported spending PHP716,200, far more than her opponent Roland Magahin, who spent only PHP29,562.
Her expenses were more than double what her father, outgoing Mayor Jerry Treñas, spent in the 2022 race, which totaled PHP325,999.
In the congressional race, returning lone district Rep. Julienne Baronda spent PHP472,989.23, while independent candidate Danilo Purzuelo reported PHP128,265.54 and perennial candidate Mel Carreon spent PHP20,801.75.
Baronda also spent more than in 2022, when she reported PHP318,525.17 in campaign expenses.
Vice mayor-elect Love Baronda, the congresswoman’s sister, reported spending PHP264,539, which exceeded outgoing Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon’s PHP84,270.73.
Among city council candidates, returning councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia topped the list with PHP351,798.62, followed by Councilor Romel Duron with PHP253,713 and Councilor-elect Lyndon Acap with PHP158,686.
Independent candidate Ryan Dave Estrella was the lowest spender, with just PHP3,000 in reported expenses.
Under Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166, campaign spending is limited to PHP3 per registered voter, excluding presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Section 14 of the same law defines a SOCE as a detailed statement of contributions and expenses in connection with the election.
The law requires candidates and political parties to file their SOCEs within 30 days after election day.
COMELEC Resolution No. 10999 set June 11 as the deadline for SOCE submission for the 2025 elections.
COMELEC Chairperson George Garcia earlier announced that no requests for deadline extensions would be entertained.
Sayno confirmed Thursday that no late submissions would be accepted and that the three non-complying candidates would be referred to the commission’s central office in Manila.
“The local COMELEC’s authority to accept SOCEs has already expired,” Sayno said.
“They would just have to wait for a notice from the campaign finance office in Manila, and we will submit a report identifying who did and did not file.”
He added that non-filers would be given a chance to explain their failure to submit, and a decision would be made by the central office.
Candidates who fail to file their SOCE may be fined between PHP1,000 and PHP30,000 for a first offense, and PHP2,000 to PHP60,000 for subsequent violations, at the discretion of the commission.
Repeat offenders may also face permanent disqualification from holding public office.
