512 face probe in bus compensation scam

At least 63 officials of the past government have  been summoned  to  the  Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office as part  of an  investigation alleged irregularities in the compensation granted to the owners of the  Panama’s notorious  “diablos rojos” (red devils), discarded US school buses,  that once jammed the streets  of Panama city before they were largely elbowed aside by Metro buses.

The ex-officers are part of a list of 512 people, including former directors of the Transit Authority (ATTT), and transport leaders and bus owners.

The investigatory statements began on October 15.

Roberto Moreno, Ventura Vega, and Jorge Ricardo Fábrega are the former directors who will participate in the investigation. Along with the ex-sub-director Nicolás Brea.

The reasons for the complaint date from 2015 and are regarding sudden changes from trunk route to corridor, to get increased compensation (from $25,000 to  $75,000),  for buses that did not offer the service or did not discard for scrap, the buses they had been paid for.