Ex- finance minister could face further investigations

THE SECRETARY GENERAL of the Attorney General’s office, Rolando Rodriguez, has not ruled out calling the former Minister of Economy and Finance, Frank De Lima, to testify in other investigations being conducted over purchases with funding from the National Assistance Program (PAN).

 Following the confinement or De Lima and his former Vice Minister in the DIJ cells earlier in the week, details were released showing that while in office he authorized the transfer of multi-millions of dollars to various ministries without appropriate documentation, including funds to dampening CD deputies and to PAN
On Thursday, May 14 Rodrigues said: “”Definitely yes. It’s possible,” Rodriguez said when questioned by reporters about the possibility. He added that he does not rule out calling other people “as they arise, as the investigation goes forward.”
Lima and his former Deputy Minister of Economy, Gladys Cedeño, are investigated by the breakdown of budget items under $300 000 to finance the purchase of grains with money PAN. The two were questioned on Monday and that day preventive detention was ordered for both.
Rodriguez responded when asked about the transfer of Frank De Lima, the cells of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) transitional Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DIP), located at the headquarters of the National Police in Ancon.
and said the MP evaluates and various precautionary measures, after carrying out the investigations. However, the movement of people to the site where they are held is in charge of the national prison system.
“The Judicial Code has established that preventive detention should be prepared and enforced within the county district where the crime was committed and failing that in the District Prison (…) we are within the territorial jurisdiction,” he said.
In turn, he said the MP, through the four anti-corruption prosecutors, is fulfilling its investigative function.
He said that not all investigated for PAN purchases are detained preventively. Some have precautionary measure of house arrest (as the former director of the PAN, Giacomo Tamburrelli, and businessmen Ruben De Ycaza and Roberto Carretero) or by imprisonment country (such as former ministers Lucy Molinar and Federico Jose Suarez).
Rafael Guardia, who had replaced Tamburrelli in the PAN is detained in El Renacer.
“The restriction measures are different for each individual. All are subject to the prudential requirements by establishing the injury or the extent of damage, the degree of linkage and the injury to the State as well as the risk of flight he said.
This week the First Anticorruption Prosecutor, Tania Sterling, De Lima filed charges against De Lima for the alleged commission of embezzlement, in the investigation of alleged irregularities in the sale of grain through the PAN.