13 more Panama lawmakers face criminal complaint
WHILE Panama’s Supreme court is still debating a criminal complaint filed against the president of the National Assembly, a similar move has been made against 13 deputies.
The latest complaint was presented Wednesday by Carlos Herrera Morán and Freddy Pittí, It is is for crimes against public administration,said Herrera Morán.
The document alleges that the deputies improperly distributed donations since the Constitution does not give them this power.
A decree issued by the Office of the Comptroller General in October 2016, which regulates donations, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court this month.
An investigation by La Prensa revealed that the Assembly has disbursed $14 million in grants and $68 million in professional service contracts for jobs that for the most part were not completed..
“In the end, the money did not reach the intended destination, it was distributed among the deputies,” said Herrera Morán.
A team from the Comptroller’s office is currently auditing deputy transactions.
The complaint runs from July 2014 to March 3, 2017, when the Assembly was chaired by Panamenista Adolfo “Beby” Valderrama (20142015) and PRD Deputy Ruben De Leon (2015 2017). Both were denounced by Herrera Morán and Pittí.
De León was previously denounced by Ernesto Cedeño.
Pittí and Herrera Morán attached the La Prensa publications to the filed complaint filed. In addition, they aked the magistratesto request information from the Comptroller General and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The complaint was also filed against Dalia Bernal, Katleen Levy, Elías Castillo, Miguel Salas, Alfredo Pérez, Carlos Afú, Benicio Robinson, Crescencia Prado, Juan Poveda, Mario Miller and Juan Carlos Arango.
Arango is part of a “commission” chosen by the Assembly itself to review the issue.
“If the Court conducts an accurate investigation, more names will come out,” said Pittí.
Herrera Morán hopes that the CSJ will “demonstrate that there is independence in the rule of law in Panama.
