Assembly names corruption commission
PANAMA’S National Assembly has adopted a resolution creating a “commission of inquiry” into corruption cases involving major infrastructure projects during the last three presidential administrations.
The move came on Monday March 13, the same day that seven auditors from the Comptroller General’s office moved into the Assembly to audit thousands of donations and contracts handed out by deputies across party lines since the Varela administration took office.
The Assembly commission will look at projects under the presidencies of Martín Torrijos (20042009), Ricardo Martinelli (2009- 2014) and Juan Carlos Varela (2014- 2019).
The commission aims to learn about the problem of public procurement as a source of corruption and to propose the necessary legal rules to guarantee permanent transparency in public administration.
It will consist of eleven deputies and be chaired by Elías Castillo of the PRD and present a report within three months.
