Ex-PAN boss reiterates Martinelli-Pariente role in $45 million scam

THE former director of the National Assistance Program (Pan ), Giacomo Tamburrelli, has identified Javier Pariente -current head of Ensa and ex-vicepresiden of Ricardo Martinelli owned,Importadora Ricamar- as the only “middleman” between the supplier, the Ministry of the Presidency and the entity responsible for the $45 million purchase of dehydrated food to distribute in the public schools as part of the “NutriEscuela” program.

Tamburrelli reiterated that all orders were received from the then President, Ricardo Martinelli, as indicated in his preliminary statement December 15.
“I’m here to collaborate and cooperate with the process, as there have been attempts to change what was said by my lawyer Gonzalo Moncada Luna to seek to invalidate my first statement,” the  Tamburrelli told the anti-corruption prosecutor.
Two weeks ago, Martinelli called a press conference to disclose the contents of the statement of objections submitted by Moncada, on the preliminary statement of Tamburrelli. In that document, Moncada complains about the treatment by the then Second Anticorruption Lizzett Chevalier, who, he says threatened his client. Chevalier was replaceon by Vielka Broces on January 16.
Martinelli interpreted it as Tamburrelli coerced January 16 to incriminate him in the matter under investigation.
In his statement on Monday, Tamburrelli not only confirmed that it was Martinelli who gave the orders, but named Pariente as “the intermediary or mediator between all parties”.
“At times he [Pariente] conveyed some messages from the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli, so that it would all be as required by the Presidency … Everything about hiring, to the dehydrated food including linking directly provider in Brazil,, this gentleman wasthe one who mediated in all, “he said.
Adolfo “Chichi” De Obarrio, ex private sectary of private Martinelli he provided a list of trucking companies, to allocate dehydrated foods.
He also said that the contract with Lerkshore International Limited was endorsed in 10 days by the then Comptroller Gioconda Torres de Bianchini.
“I reiterate again it appeared very strange to me that in a short time an amount so high was endorsed,” he said. This week, the current comptroller Federico Humbert announced the suspension and investigation of auditors wo had had charge of monitoring PAN purchases
In addition,  he narrated that Martinelli called him to deliver a breakdown of “45% maximum” to Lerkshore, “when usually it is 10% and 30%.”
When La Prensa called Pariente earlier this week to ask about his participation, he said baldly that “it is not so”.