Tamburelli resignation official, more may follow
Twenty-four hours after saying he knew “nothing about it”, government spokesman Luis Eduardo Camacho, confirmed on Saturday , October 13, the resignation of CD party general sectretary, Giacomo Tamburrelli as head pf the state mortgage bank..
Tamburelli who is the current secretary-general of the ruling Democratic Change (CD) – party, resigned as general manager of the National Mortgage Bank (BHN) and,the resignation will be effective from Monday October 15.
President Ricardo Martinelli left for Europe as the story burst.
In a statement, the presidency said Tamburrellli resigned for personal reasons and that in the coming days his replacement will be announced.
Tamburrelli held the BHN post from August,13 after leaving as head of the National Action Program (PAN).
The resignation comes amid scandals published in La Prensa about millions of dollars spent by PAN on poorly executed work, vote buying, enducements to elected officials to jump ship and the construction by the PAN of a road leading to a farm of Tamburrelli’s father in Los Santos.
Tamburrelli also faces criminal charges for giving official electoral support , to CD candidate Nidia Cureña in an election which was annulled by the Electoral Tribunal.
The case has been in the hands of Los Santos, Veraguas and Cocle, prosecutor Dilia Cornejo, who must submit a final report to the Electoral Criminal Court, led by Ana Raquel Santamaria.
Tamburrelli has been silent about the reasons for his resignation, and government figures and CD party members shun talking about it says La Prensa. Attempts to get an official response to his resignation from Minister of the Presidency, Roberto Henríquez, and Minister of Labor and Workforce Development, Alma Cortez, were blocked .
The ruling party's lawyer, Luis CortésCortez acknowledged that there are "strong comments" about Tamburrelli’s departure but said that he alone could clear everything up.
A source close to the leadership of the CD said that he would be asked for his resignation as secretary general of the party.
Panameñista deputy, Jose Blandon said Tamburrelli's resignation should not be a justification for not investigating corruption scandals in which he has been involved as head of PAN.
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) deputy, José Luis Fabrega said that the Credentials\Committee were alerted to the Tamburrelli scandals in the PAN and his lack of experience in banking matters before his appointment as manager of the mortgage bank. At that time, the opposition claimed that Tamburrelli had no qualification to be manager of BHN.
Ex comptroller Alvin Weeden criticized the custom of president, Ricardo Martinelli, to "give up" when officials are involved in corruption cases.
"They are protected by the president’s silence, and when they leave, nothing happens”.
A suspected quartet
Maria Cristina Gonzalez left as head of the National Immigration Service in 2010 for alleged visa scandals This year, the Minister of the Presidency, Demetrio Jimmy Papadimitriu, involved in the scandal of land titling in Juan Hombrón, Cocle coast, resigned.
Amid allegations of irregularities in awarding contracts to private concerns Minister of Health, Franklin Vergara, and Public Works MInister Federico Suarez.resigned.
Political analyst Mario Rognoni's believes the latest resignation could cause political friction in the CD and he predicted that after the departure of Tamburrelli there will be other resignations
