The Supreme Court has disallowed the monthly amortization payments for private vehicles under the car benefit plan of the Philippine Rice Research Institute .In a decision promulgated in March 2023, the SC affirmed the finding of the Commission on Audit that the payments were irregular but ruled that the petitioners, who were former employees of PhilRice, could not be held liable to return the amount.
The scheme acted as a rental plan under which qualified employees may procure the vehicle of their choice through the financing scheme of the Philippine National Bank for three years, payable on a monthly installment basis.In 2013, state auditors issued 26 notices of disallowances with an amount of P10 million against PhilRice for “expenses incurred during the trips made using rented private vehicles.