OFF THE CUFF: Buck passer faces corruption probe

FORMER SOCIAL SECURITY DIRECTOR Guillermo Sáez-Llorens arrived at the office of the third anti-corruption prosecutor on Friday September 11 to face questioning related to the agency’s rental of 32 premises and lots of land in Pedregal.

The infl;exible Sáez-Llorens survived many crises during his stormy reign, managing to divert attention from his own administration which ruled during the deaths of scores of patients resistant to anti-biotics, and baby deaths resulting from the use of drugs after the Ministry of Health had issued an alert notice.

He also led a move, contrary to established protocol  to name the new hospital city after the then ruling president Ricardo Martinelli. On Friday Sáez-Llorens was accompanied by his lawyer  who again shifted responsibility saying  that the contract was approved by the agency’s Board of Directors.

The rentals are owned by Irnico, S.A., linked to the businessman Fotis Taquis.

The purpose was allegedly  to use the space to provide health and administrative services, but according to a complaint filed before the public prosecutor, they were never used for those purposes.

The rentals cost the agency $36,800 a month for 36 months, according to official documents reports La Prensa