US asked to track Martinelli ex-secretary

THE UNITED STATES has been asked to help locate Adolfo Chichi De Obarrio, former private  secretary of ex- president Ricardo Martinelli, and businessman Juan-Carlos-Marciaga, following  charges related to alleged $1.5 million irregularities  in the Floor  and Roof program through the now defunct National Assistance  Program (PAN).

Vielka Broce the Second Anti-Corruption prosecutor has made the move as De Obarrio is mentioned in the record as the person who delivered instructions for ceiling  contracts under the administration of the Ministry of Housing and Land Management (Miviot) in the last government.

The De Obarrio linking  comes  from statements made by the former director of PAN, Rafael Jaen Guardia, who revealed that De Obarrio  gave instructions on who should get  the contracts.

De Obarrio also faces a request for provisional arrest and a  red Interpol by  the Fifteenth Criminal Court , on December 9, 2015, for alleged embezzlement in the allocation of contracts for the purchase of dehydrated food costing  $44.9 million.

The Second Anti-Corruption Prosecutor also asked open criminal case against De Obarrio associated with buying school bags for the Ministry of Education for $14.2 million.

The prosecution has  ordered the investigation of businessman Juan Carlos Marciaga in the investigation into the floor and ceiling program.

Research showed  that Marciaga registered  at least eight companies listed as suppliers of PAN  for the program: Orofil S.A .; Turmark Company, S.A .; Group HR & R, S.A .; Mister Rooster Corporation; Investment J.B.K., S.A .; International Econobásicos, S.A .; Panama Siulang Group Inc .; Red Holding International, S.A.

In this case, the prosecution also ordered the investigation of the former head of Miviot, Yasmina Pimental, for whom the Fifteenth Court granted bail of $100,000 not be stopped.

Another 14 people, including former officials of Miviot  and  PAN are facing trial related to program contracts.