PAN not only focus of past corruption -Varela

PANAMA’S the National Assistance Program (PAN) is a “strong focus” of corruption in the previous administration, but not the only one said President Juan Carlos Varela on Friday, December 26.

“Everything indicates that there are other areas where the same practices were used,” Varela said at a promotion ceremony for members of the State Border Service (SENAFRONT) at the Summit.
“Consultancies that are on the internet where millions of dollars were charged to the State, purchasing safety equipment that are not in the security sectors … There are issues that will touch those who are responsible and accountable. That is an issue that the judicial system will handle,”
He added ” thank God in five days Kenya Porcell and Federico Humbert take office as Attorney General and tComptroller General, (to replace Ana Belfon and Gioconda Bianchini,)
Varela also referred to the “shocking” failure of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice which ordered the State to pay a construction company $5.4 million in damages for breach of a contract that was originally just under $270,000
“That’s not right … That is money that belongs to the people. That’s money that can be used to increase the salary of nurses, educators … We will review everything and will require 200,000 civil servants to be loyal to the state at all times, “he said.
In the ruling, the judges Alejandro Moncada Luna (currently suspended from office and under investigation by the National Assembly) and Victor Benavides (rapporteur) ordered the PAN to pay $5.4 million to Java Inversiones, SA, to rescind a contract that was awarded in 2003 for the repair of a highway in Colon, for a total of $269 ,505.
Judge Luis Ramon Fabrega dissented
“At this time I had the opportunity to meet with the president of the Supreme Court [Jose Ayu Prado], I confirmed my disagreement as president to see in a case against PAN for $250,000 two judges of the Court issuing a demand l against the state for nearly$ 5.5 million,” he said