Candidate for TE judge has unpaid debt to Assembly

A RULING Panamenista Party candidate to become an Electoral Tribunal  (TE) judge has an unpaid debt to the National Assembly .

Alfredo Juncá, who until October 2016 worked as director of Parliamentary Legal Advice, benefited from a leave of  absence to study in the Philippines for two years, but recently resigned his position in the legislature to present his candidacy for TE magistrate without complying with the time of service in the Assembly to repay his commitment, reports La Prensa.

Article 190 of the Organic Law of the Assembly stipulates that: “Those who receive a license with a salary for study shall be bound by the National Assembly to return to the post at the conclusion of the studies, seminar, or fellowship, and is obliged to provide continuous services to the National Assembly for twice the duration of the license.”

The same rule states that, in case of breach of this obligation, “the employee shall reimburse the institution for the sum received in respect of salary, per diem, cost of registration, transportation and other expenses incurred by this institution, plus 25 percent of that amount.”

In December, the Comptroller General endorsed a payment to Junca for $21,600 for vacation.

Defending his failure to serve the four years Juncá said that, if elected magistrate, he will continue to serve the state as envoy of the National Assembly to the TE.

He added that before leaving the post he signed a note of commitment with the institution, where he stated that he has not completed the time of service he owes to the Assembly. He also said he was willing to pay the amount owed.