Supreme Court eyes legislator cookie jar
AS PUBLIC CONCERN continues to mount over revelations of Deputies “donations’’ and linked contracts, the Supreme Court will hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, Mar 13 to discuss an unconstitutionality claim against the regulations regarding donations made from the budget of the National Assembly.
Chief Justice Jose Ayu Prado has warned that donations by deputies
are not endorsed by “any constitutional, legal or regulatory provision.”
The lawsuit against the decree was filed by attorney Ernesto Cedeño.
An investigation by La Prensa documented that from July 2014 to December 2016, the Assembly disbursed $14 million in donations that, for the most part, did not go to the intended parties.
In addition, $68 million of the budget of the Assembly has been allocated for professional services contracts, for work that has almost never been done.
The president of the National Assembly, Ruben De Leon, announced the suspension of the donations in the week ending Mar.10.
Comptroller Federico Humbert has ordered an audit of the disbursements.
