CD deputies fingered for demanding contract kickbacks

BUSINESSWOMAN Mara del Carmen Vergara, one of the entrepreneurs being investigated for irregularities in the National Assistance Program (PAN), has fingered two Democratic Change deputies who she says, claimed kickbacks in exchange for contracts.

She told prosecutor Tania Sterling that, in 2014,  she received five contracts from the PAN, two from Democratic Change (CD) Deputy José María Herrera and three from CD Deputy Vidal García.
Vergara said that when she received the checks for the purchases, she was told that the deputies wanted a kickback of 10 to 15 percent.
“At the time I cashed the check, there was a person waiting outside the bank and I gave him the money,” Vergara said.
She added that she never made direct contact with the deputies.
The entrepreneur, who is currently being held under house arrest, told the prosecutor that she received contracts in 2010, 2011 and 2012 from CD deputies Fernando Carrillo, Luis Lay, Vidal García, Edwin Zúñiga and Mario Lazarus, but never paid any kickbacks.
She also identified Francisca Vanessa Ceballos as the person who provided her with the rice she provided to the PAN. The provider had premises in Parque Lefevre.
She also alleged that, before the 2014 Carnival, business owners were pressured to pay for CD shirts, posters and caps. Those who didn’t contribute were cut out of the program.
Herrera and García did not respond to La Prensa requests for comment.