Stalled investigations back on track.

INVESTIGATONS that were suspended due to the outstanding issues over electoral immunity claimed by some of the defendants are back on track.

The decision was made after the Tribunal Electoral (TE) issued a decree clarifying the law on electoral immunity, which stated that investigations could continue against defendants who had not filed any claims of immunity.

TE Judge Eduardo Valdés Escoffery said that prosecutors were misinterpreting the law, since they were suspending all the processes.

The cases that have been reopened include one involving former ministers Frank De Lima (Economy and Finance) and Roberto Henríquez (Presidency) and cost overruns in the National Assistance Program (PAN).

Another involves the investigation into irregularities in the purchase of school backpacks by the PAN that involves Mario Martinelli brother of former president Ricardo Martinelli.