PAN scandal widens with “small potatoes” scams
HE LATEST scandal involving the National Assistance Program (PAN) is small potatoes when compared with the millions of dollars of scams associated with the agency.
It involves the over price no-bid purchase of 448 over-priced tire rims most of which have disappeared.
The Public Ministry has detected anomalies in the purchase from a company owned by a friend of the son of a former director of the aid agency.
The complaint says the agency paid $163,000 for the rims, while the company itself, Free Port Pty, purchased them for $52,000 from a local supplier.
Free Port Pty is owned by Charles Sadat Bonilla Ojeda, a friend of Rafael Guardia Juárez. the son of former PAN Director Rafael Guardia Jaén.
An investigation of the PAN discovered that the agency only has possession of 68 of the rims. The others could not be found.
Prosecutor Zuleyka Moore, who is investigating the matter, also said that the purchase was made without going through a bidding process, which was unusual due to the abundance of local providers.
A preliminary hearing in the case was held Monday, August 7 before the 15th Criminal Court.
A few minutes after the hearing, it was suspended by Judge Leslie Loaiza acting on a motion by defense lawyers for Guardia Jaén, who arrived in handcuffs. Defense attorneys requested the delay so they could review an audit carried out by the Comptroller, which was delivered to prosecutors Friday.
The hearing has been rescheduled for Oct. 9.
Charles Bonilla, , also appeared in handcuffs and will be detained at the Tinajitas Penitentiary.
