US invasion truth probe gets funding OK

PANAMA’S  Comptroller General  has endorsed the transfer of funds for the December 20, 1989,  Truth Commission which was  set up last year to investigate  the 1989 US invasion and come up with realistic figures  of those killed or disappeared during the events leading to the arrest of military dictator Manuelo Noriega.

The president of the Commission, Juan Planells, made the announcement on Thursday July 20 and said  that in spite of lack of funds they continued to work thanks to volunteers.

Planells said that the Comptroller’s office endorsed the transfer  of funds from the Ministry of Foreign Affair s to the City of Knowledge, which will be in charge of administering  them.

He added that it’s about $450,000 to work the first year. and the same amount to operate during the second year

While funds were awaited, volunteers from the Universidad Santa María la Antigua and the University of Panama worked on the investigation

They also received the support of the Supreme Court the Ministry of Health and the Electoral Tribunal.

For example, the Supreme Court allowed them to review almost 2,000 records corresponding to the period after the invasion of

Procedures were also made at the Ministry of Health, where data on exhumations and  death certificates were studied.