Credentials and ethics chair with Odebrecht ties clings to seat

A STATEMENT announcement made yesterday by the Panamenista  deputy Jorge Alberto Rosas that he would recuse himself from any file involving Odebrecht, that reached the National Assembly committee he chairs has been attacked by representatives of civil groups of many stripes.

Rosas was recently re-elected  chairman of the Credentials, Rules of Procedure, Parliamentary Ethics and Judicial Affairs Committee and is in the eyes of prosecutors because of his role in his law firm’s activities  qith Odebrecht.

His announcement was listed as  “recklessness”. by leaders of different sectors because  of conflict of interest as Rosas is facing investigation related to bribes by  Odebrecht.

In addition, they say that he is part of the ruling party of President Juan Carlos Varela,

And don’t not believe that he should remain in a committee

Commission, which would be in charge of investigating any complaint filed against Varela.

Representatives of the civil society propose that he resign for the sake of  “transparency” and “credibility”.

Rosas wrote on   his Twitter account: “If there is any case that has to do with The Odebrecht company in Credentials, I will separate from the evaluation of that file. “

The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor is investigating the $ 2.3 million that the law firm Rosas & Rosas,  received from of Constructora Internacional del Sur, S.A., linked to Odebrecht and believed to be a conduit for bribes moved to Swiss bank.

Two partners of the firm Rosas & Rosas testified before the prosecution that it was  the Deputy Rosas who handled the entire professional relationship with  Odebrecht.

Judicial sources told La Prensa said that the Special Anti-Corruption Office will send copies of the file where Rosas is mentioned to the Court

‘Must resign’
 Gilberto Solís, student representative of the Faculty of Law before the General Council of the University of Panama, said that Rosas must be declared “Impeded” and “separated” from the commission,

Political scientist Richard Morales, said there is a “terrible” conflict of interest.  In his view, the election of Rosas as chair of the Credentials Committee on Credentials was motivated by his  connection to the Odebrecht case. It was, according to him, the guarantee that both powers would not investigate each other.

He added that Rosas and all those involved in the Odebrecht case currently in power, “do not only have to be investigated but should be separated from their positions during the research, since they have lost all legitimacy to represent the citizenry. “

The same opinion came from  Freddy Pittí, of the Together We Decide Movement, who also calls for Rosas to be separated from the commission.

The Independent Movement (Movin), said in a statement that  the

Credentials Committee  “cannot be chaired by a Member allegedly involved in the Odebrecht investigations, for which we demand the separation of Jorge Alberto Rosas while investigations are ongoing. “