Noynoy spent P403M during campaign — Comelec data

President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III spent some P403 million during the two-month campaign period for the May 10 automated elections, according to the expenditure report his camp submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday. Documents obtained from the Comelec law department show that Aquino, who was proclaimed on the same day, had a total expenditure of P403,119,981.81 during the campaign period. Comelec Resolution 8944 says that candidates for president and vice president with political parties are only allowed to spend P10 per registered voter while other candidates who also have parties may spend P3 per voter. Candidates without the support of political parties may spend P5 for every voter. There are about 50.7 million registered voters for the May 10 elections. While Aquino's expenditures are well within the limit set by the Comelec, the document show that he received some P440,050,000 in campaign contributions, or P37 million more than what he spent. The list of Aquino's contributors could not be immediately released by the law department. Other candidates On the other hand, defeated presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. claims to have spent P3,463,307.21, of which P64,688.88 was supposedly paid for by contributions. But fellow presidential aspirants senators Ana Consuelo Madirgal and Manuel Villar Jr. claimed to have paid all their expenditures, which they pegged at P55,182,264 and P431,557,816, respectively. Defeated vice presidential bet Senator Loren Legarda claims to have spent P210,280,000, of which she paid P15 million out of her own money and the rest with campaign contributions. Newly elected senators Vicente Sotto III (P51,243,278.77 in expenses; P47,475,707 in contributions), Jinggoy Estrada (P69,137,297 in expenses; P57 million in contributions), Lito Lapid (P28,865,884.11 in expenses; P14,608,119.29 in contributions), and Ramon Bong Revilla (P77,022,450.10 in expenses) also filed their expenditure reports with the poll body. Defeated senatorial aspirant Raul Lambino, for his part, supposedly spent P7,862,000, of which P3.5 million was paid for by campaign contributions. Deadline extended The Comelec has decided to extend the deadline of the submission of contributions and expenditures until June 24. Comelec Resolution 8944 says that the statement must indicate the amount of contribution, the date of its receipt, and the full name and address of the person who gave the contribution. It should also state the amount of every expenditure, the date it was incurred, the full name and address of the person who paid for it, and the purpose of the expenditure. It should likewise indicate if there is an "unpaid obligation" to any person. The resolution says that failure to file the statement will prevent a person from assuming office, if he is elected. It added that failure to submit the document will constitute an administrative offense which is punishable by a fine ranging from P1,000 to P30,000 at the discretion of the Comelec. Violation of the spending limit is also an election offense, which is punishable by disenfranchisement, disqualification from holding public office, and imprisonment from one to six years. - KBK, GMANews.TV