Refund P.3 M paid to consultant, National Nutrition Council told

MANILA, Philippines - The National Nutrition Council (NNC) was ordered to refund to the government the P300,000 paid to a legal consultant who had been hired without prior approval of the Solicitor General and the written concurrence of the Commission on Audit (COA).

Based on COA Circular No. 98-002 dated June 9, 1998, public funds shall not be utilized for payment of the services of a private legal counsel or law firm to represent government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations and local government units in court or to render legal services for them, state auditors said.

“In the event that such legal services cannot be avoided or are justified under extraordinary or exceptional circumstances… the written conformity and acquiescence of the Solicitor General or the Government Corporate Counsel, as the case may be, and the written concurrence of the Commission on Audit shall first be secured before the hiring or employment of a private lawyer or law firm,” according to the rules.

Last year, the NNC hired the services of a legal consultant to handle various administrative and financial concerns with legal implications, records show.

The legal consultant was paid a monthly retainer’s fee of P20,000 from January to June and was rehired for an increased monthly retainer’s fee of P30,000 from July to December, COA said.