Use of public funds in printing INC stamps above board – CA

The Court of Appeals (CA) has ruled that the use of public funds to print more than one million stamps to commemorate the 100th founding anniversary of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) last year did not violate any constitutional provision.

In a decision written by Associate Remedios Salazar-Fernando, the CA said that what the Constitution prohibits is the giving of aid to a religious institution and not the mere entering into a transaction or an agreement where the government could benefit for itself.

President Aquino allowed last year the printing and issuance of the INC’s commemorative stamps through Presidential Proclamation No. 81 which declared 2014 as the INC Centennial Year.

A total of 1.2 million stamps were printed by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) and eventually sold to the public.

In a complaint, taxpayer Renato Peralta filed a case before the Manila regional trial court (RTC) as he pointed out that the printing of the INC’s commemorate stamps violated the Constitution.

He wanted the trial court to stop PhilPost from printing and distributing the stamps.

On July 25, 2014, the RTC dismissed his complaint prompting him to elevate the issue before the CA.