OFF THE CUFF: When timing is everything

THE INFLATED payroll at the office of beleagured electoral prosecutor Eduardo Penaloza was slashed this week when 153 officers, were fired, but their boss wasn’t around to wish them goodbye.

 With two impeding investigations pending against him and two decisions lifting his immunity from criminal prosecution, Penaloza decided it was time to take a vacation, leaving Chiriquí prosecutor, José Félix González, to sign the marching orders for the officers who had worked there since 2012. Before the election period the office had 185 employees, which increased to 305. After trimming, there are now only 152 employees.
In spite of the increased payroll, Penaloza is accused of failing to investigate complaints over the use of government funds during the 2014 election campaign.

The secretary general of the organization, Juan Alvarado,blamed the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) for the budget cut of about $ 4 million.
the cut was forced by budget requirements,” he told La Prensa. The budget for fiscal 2015 was cut from $ 8 million to $4 million.

A source of the institution reported that Penaloza had taken vacation and would be away from his desk for more than a month
Before the layoffs, the president of the National Bar Association,José Alberto Alvarez said that it was striking that just as the prosecution began investigations against Penaloza, he went on vacationvwithout having appointed an alternate. Penaloza is being investigated for alleged breach of duties.
Alvarez said that if Penaloza was criticized at the time for not doing his job with lots of staff now, with this cut, there would be less work done reports La Prensa.