THE Commission on Audit has ordered former board members of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to return P13.75 million in unauthorized package of benefits given to them from 2010 to 2011.
Held culpable were former PCSO chairman Margarita Juico, former general manager and chief operating officer Jose Ferdinand Rojas II along with members of the board of directors for unauthorized allowances, bonuses and cash incentives amounting to P13,751,229.25 paid to them over a 15-month period from September 2010 to December 2011.
CoA Chairman Michael Aguinaldo, along with Commissioners Jose Fabia and Isabel Agito, dismissed the petition for review filed by the respondents for lack of merit.
Juico and the other officials said such benefits and allowances were approved dating back to the administration of former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada.
“The prior presidential approvals obtained by PCSO were superseded by Executive Order Nos. 7, 19 and 24… thus, by executive fiat, the authority of the board members to receive various allowances, benefits and other perks… were considered withdrawn,” the CoA’s Commission Proper decision read.
CoA said board members were not entitled to receive allowances and benefits, and that the only authorized form of compensation was “reasonable per diems.”
“To stress, petitioners are not salaried employees of PCSO but members of the board of directors who are not entitled to receive fringe benefits, unless expressly provided by law,” CoA said.
Such issue was already clarified by the Department of Budget and Management Circular Letter No. 2002-02 stating board of directors of agencies were not salaried officials of the government.
“As officials who are directly responsible in authorizing and approving the payment of the disallowed benefits, they are solidarily liable for their reimbursement. Their payment of the disallowed benefits cannot be deemed in good faith,” CoA cited.