The Commission on Audit (COA) has asked the Capiz State University (CapSU) to refund P190,000 paid by the school in 2022 for the services of a Multi-Faith Director.
In its annual audit report, COA said the hiring of a Multi-Faith Director under a Contract of Service is "not proper" and "without merit" since the 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits appropriations for sectarian benefit.
It cited that the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and COA, itself, also issued Joint Circular No. 1 on June 15, 2017 which states that "hiring under contract of service shall be limited to consultants, learning service providers and/or technical experts to undertake special project or job within the specified period."
Its report stated that the Multi-Faith Director hired by CapSU took on the functions of coordinating with the Director of Student Affairs and Campus Student Services Affairs Office and the different College Deans in the conduct of the Campus Ministry, preparing the Annual Multi-Faith activities of the University, organizing Spiritual Wellness activities, conducting outreach programs, coordinating the activities of the Multi-Faith student clubs and organizations, and offering ecumenical services such as monthly mass and baccalaureate mass.
"It can be noted that the above-enumerated functions of the Contractual Multi Faith Director are not within the technical definition of contract of service as provided in CSC-DBM-COA Joint Circular No. 1 series of 2017. The said Director is not a consultant, a learning service provider or a technical expert that warrants the hiring of his services under a Contract of Service agreement," COA said.
In his monthly Accomplishment Reports, the priest who was hired Multi Faith Director said that he conducted the holy mass in various campuses of CapSU, performed confessions in all campuses, conducted a graduation retreat in all campuses, launched a donation drive for the typhoon victims, and initiated an Easter talk with the Cardinal in April.
The audit team discovered that the university hired the priest with a rate of P20,000 a month from March 16 to Dec. 31, 2022. It pointed out that although the Contract of Service was executed both by the university and the priest on May 31, 2022, the Multi-Faith Director was already rendering his services as early as March 16, 2022.
"Thus, the validity of the contract entered by the University is doubtful," the audit team said.
The P190,000 paid to the director were recorded as account under "Other General Services," and these were either charged to Regular Agency Fund (RAF) or Internally Generated Fund. This made the funds for the contract of service "not definite," state auditors noted.
"With the above-noted deficiencies, the validity and propriety of hiring a Multi-Faith Director under a contract of service and the corresponding payment of his services in the amount P190,000.00 for CY 2022 is not meritorious," the COA stressed.
Thus, COA recommended that CapSU discontinue the hiring of priests, preachers or any religious leaders and require the immediate refund of P190,000.00 paid to the contractual Multi-Faith Director for his services rendered. Otherwise, it warned it would issue a Notice of Disallowance.