Pepper spray in Assembly as comptroller sidesteps questions,

IN HER SECOND day before the National Assembly, Panama’s Comptroller Gioconda Torres de Bianchini provided only limited responses to questions from deputies or “had no information” on specific projects with possible overruns. 

“They are projects in hand” “I cannot give you an answer,” “I do what the law tells me”, ” I would have to verify,” “we cannot prosecute,” were some of the general answers in consultation with the team of nine advisors and technicians accompanying her,

On the first day Tuesday, August 19, the comptroller came to the legislature after he was summoned to answer a list of seven questions. After five and a half hours, and amid fraying tempers of legislators and people in the public gallery, the president of the Assembly, Adolfo Valderrama, declared a recess until Wednesday
On Day 1 Torres de Bianchini revealed thatsSince taking office in January 2010, she had not audited the contract prices or contractors, and limited her atentions to checking that institutions meet administrative requirements.

She reiterated again and again “I can only do what the law tells me to do,” when questioned by deputies for allowing overruns and harmful assumptions about contracts and state finances. According to Torres de Bianchini, the institution is only required to verify the existence of the budget line and bureaucratic requirements.
The comptroller, who worked for several years as an auditor in one of the companies of former president Ricardo Martinelli, before he appointed her to the government job, said that inconsistencies in contracts can only be discovered in subsequent audits, and no previous reviews, since this power exceeds her jurisdiction reports La Prensa.

While dodging questions about alleged loopholes, the comptroller said that the government of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) spent $1,526,000 in direct contracts, representing 78% ofcentral government contracts.
She said that the management of Martinelli pledged $4.115 billion in “turnkey”, projects and increased the public debt by $ 6.837 billion
In the public galleries tempers ran high with calls from people from Panama and Colon of “thief”, “liar”, “loco.” Another group who were greeted as old acquaintances by CD deputy Sergio Gálvez and Diego Lombana, alternate deputy, carried signs that read: “respect the woman who is a professional”, “Gioconda, women are with you.”
The two groups, shouted insults at each other and Assembly President Adolfo Valderrama, called for order several times and said that measures would be applied to ease the situation in the public area. At one stage security guards used pepper spray.
On Wednesday
Deputy Jose Antonio Dominguez Panameñista, asked the comptroller about Christmas bags purchased by the National Assistance Program (PAN), which “were an overrun”.
Torres de Bianchini revealed that after making some 50 PAN audits it was determined that there was about “patrimonial injury” about of about $3 million. Complaints were forwarded to the Public Prosecutor.
On the multi-millions transfered to community boards, where in many cases the money was handled by members of Democratic Change, the official said an audit is underway, so she would not give details.

Deputy Dominguez, for example, asked the Comptroller if she would sign a contract for a car purchased for $500,000 would The officer replied: “I could not give you an answer … it would be verified.”
“I just spoke hypothetically” said Dominguez, who directed questions about whether the comptroller did not analyze possible overruns on contracts when endorsing them.
On Wednesday, CD deputies Héctor Valdés Carrasquilla and Dana Castañeda,, attempted to defend Torres de Bianchini. According to Valdés, the official has responded and acted as the law dictates.
Castañeda said. “I apologize ma’am comptroller this show … you are here condemned, punishment has been given in advance, without having been condemned,”
He said that the summons [to the Assembly]has only one reason: “hit an officer appointed by Ricardo Martinelli”