Another ex-president to be investigated

Another ex-president is coming under the legal microscope. 

The Supreme Court has given the Public Ministry (MP) the green light investigate former President Mireya Moscoso, and administration officials who might be involved, for the alleged irregular handling of $ 45 million donated by Taiwan to Panama between May 2001 and July 2004.
The funds were managed by Fundación Mar del Sur (Southsea Foundation).

In February 2005, Attorney General’s Office, Ana Matilde Gomez asked the Court to decide who was responsible for keeping the record, as Moscoso had parliamentary immunity. Having lost that status, the Court decided not to accept the file and pass it to the MP.

Now, the file will be returned to the Attorney General’s Office to resume the investigation and, when completed, sent on to the competent court.

The Court ruling stated It is a well knownfact that as a result of general elections in 2009, former President Martín Torrijos replaced former President Mireya Moscoso in the Central American Parliament, a situation that allows, Moscoso not being a member of this regional body, to be investigated”

In October 2004, the then Solicitor General Jose Antonio Sossa, began an official investigation into the use of funds donated by Taiwan.

The first to deliver affidavits were the health ministers in the government of Moscoso, Fernando Gracia and José Terán.

The secretary and executive director of the South Sea Foundation, Ruben Candanedo and Carlos Ramirez were also questioned.

The $45 million were distributed, according to former minister Grace, as follows: $ 35 million for the construction and equipping of the Hospital Jose Domingo de Obaldia, in Chiriqui, $ 6.5 million to purchase radiotherapy equipment for the National Cancer Hospital National and $ 3.5 million to equip the maternity ward of St. Thomas Hospital.

Meanwhile, Candanedo said that it was the Taiwan government that demanded that the donations were handled by a private foundation.

A year ago, the Third Chamber of the Court declared illegal an order to audit the money from Taiwan, arguing that the Comptroller had no jurisdiction over a private entity such as the South Sea Foundation.
The former presidentof Taiwan is serving a 26 year prison sentence for corruption.