OPINION: Curbing elected abusers

This week it was one year since the president of the National Assembly, deputy Yanibel Ábrego, prevented the execution of an audit of the Comptroller General of the Republic on form 080, handled by the Legislative Branch. The deputy-president appealed the decision of the comptroller by way of an appeal of constitutional guarantees, whose decision was made public a few days ago. With a minimum majority, the Court reaffirmed that the Comptroller’s Office can audit the public expenditure of any organ of the Panamanian State, and that said audit did not, therefore, constitute a criminal investigation of the deputies.

It is surprising that such a decision was not unanimous on the part of the magistrates. The principle of the general power of auditing of the Comptroller must be taken care of by the whole society. Today Panama is engaged in a process of constitutional reforms necessary to update our constitution. It is vital that citizens monitor that the constitutional norms that govern the Comptroller’s Office are not impaired, nor that the shielding of the deputies is strengthened.

The race for the establishment of a constitutional framework that promotes integrity and strengthens the transparency of public powers begins with the accountability of each and every one of the officials, above all, the most powerful. LA PRENSA, May 18