Assembly  misspending “peanuts”  says fingered lawmaker

The unveiling by Panama’s Comptroller of multi-millions of dollars misused by members of Panama’s legislature was described as “peanuts”   by “Tito” Rodríguez vice- president of the National Assembly.

Rodrigues, alleged to have dispersed over $7 million dollars of taxpayer-funded expense rolls said that they are small things compared to what will be discovered when the comptroller Federico Humbert attends the legislative plenary, where he hopes he will be held accountable for discrediting the Assembly.

“That worksheets are peanuts , they are very small things. You know how journalists and  the Comptroller have  tried to discredit the National Assembly. We as Assembly officials have to give an explanation to the nation. How good it would be for him to come and answer  the 20 questions we are going to ask him, ”Rodríguez said.

Rodriguez said the plenary is scheduled to quote Humbert and that a questionnaire of 20 questions is already being prepared.

 We have seen in less than a month a really pathetic, sad, shameful Assembly, which has helped sink our country and our institutionalism into a deep distrust, ”said Horacio Icaza, of the Independent Movement (Movin).

The Comptroller is a subject that interests the deputies. The call for candidates to submit their resumes had not started, and the PRD bench, which is a majority in the Assembly, had already chosen its candidate.

“I think it is a public and notorious fact that the bench met about two days ago and they made the

decision to run Gerardo Solís,” for the position of comptroller. “How is it possible that not even the resumes and all the benches have been received, with the exception of the independent bank, they are talking about the anointed one, who will be the comtroller,” Icaza added.

The process to name the next comptroller is running at full throttle. Applications closed on Friday and next Monday the Credentials Committee meets to examine the 57 submitted. resumes