Embezzlment suspect gets hospital boot

PANAMA’S  FORMER Director-General of Revenue,  who exchanged a jail cell for the air conditioned comforts of a leading private hospital two years ago has been given five days to find another refuge.

Luis Cucalón got his eviction notice from the Directorate of Hospital Punta Pacifica now Pacífica Salud, in  a note signed by Felix Puga, the facility’s  legal manager.

According to the letter , the decision was made following statements made Monday. Sep.4  by Cucalón’s latest lawyer, Moisés Barlet, in Telemetro Report, using the hospital as an excuse to avoid detention.

According to the hospital, what the lawyer claims is “a false statement affecting the name and image” of the medical center.

“The hospital has been suffering multiple media attacks while   we have fully protected his  rights as a patient, as provided by the national legal system and hospital policies,” said the letter

Barlet,  has confirmed that since Tuesday he stopped being part of the defense of the ex-official without giving further explanation reports La Prensa

The lawyer described the ouster as an administrative decision and not because of the physical and mental health condition of Cucalón.

“You have to be objective to serve as a lawyer and not want the intervention to be interpreted as hindering the holding of a hearing,” Barlet said. A judge has labeled recent moves by Cucalón’s team an attempt to delay justice and has given him five days to find a new attorney, or accept one appointed by the court.

On September 18, the former must appear in court charged with alleged embezzlement in the collection of delinquent taxes through the company Cobranzas del Istmo, S.A.

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