Swabs scandal probe widens

The Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office is collecting information on the conflict of interest scandal carried out by the former National Head of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), Leonardo Labrador, and the former Director of Public Health of the Metropolitan Region, Ana Lorena Chang, members of the board of directors of the company A&L Medic, which under the trade name Sermedic swabbed travelers at the Amador dock, where ships bound for the islands of the Gulf of Panama are boarded.

“We are compiling the necessary evidence to support whether there is influence peddling and/or privileged information and / or any other crime that may be configured,” a Public Ministry source told La Prensa.

On August 6,  an Executive Decree was signed, which established that to travel to Taboga, Contadora, San José, Isla del Rey, Saboga and Otoque Occidente y Oriente, it is required to show a vaccination card or negative test for Covid-19. If the traveler does not meet these requirements, they must undergo a swab test at their own expense, before boarding.

Three days after that decree, Chang supervised the work of this company on the Amador dock and praised the service  it offered to the public, without specifying that she was talking about her own business.

Subsequently, multiple authorities announced investigations: the Public Ministry, the National Transparency Authority the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Minsa itself.

The Public Ministry, investigation was announced on August 19 and, apart from influence peddling, there are other criminal modalities that could be investigated, such as abuse of authority and, conflict of interest which constitutes an aggravating On Monday, August 23, lawyer Abdiel González denounced Labrador and Chang for alleged embezzlement and corruption of public servants.

On Thursday, Health Minister Luis Francisco Sucre, who together with President Cortizo signed the executive decree to restrict entry to the six islands, reported that Human Resources of the institution confirmed the obvious: the conflict of interest. He added that “the two colleagues” cannot go to work until the investigations are concluded. Both, in addition to occupying executive roles, have positions of general practitioners in Minsa.

The director of the Metropolitan Health Region, Israel Cedeño, clarified that at this time Labrador and Chang are not practicing as doctors. He assured that they will not return to their administrative positions. Another investigation is underway out to see if there was any conflict of interest.

The  Public Ministry has requested reports from the Minsa, the Public Registry, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.

The company A&L Medic (whose business name is Sermedic) has Chang as president and Labrador as secretary. Both are listed as subscribers. Carlos Enrique Chang Chávez appears as treasurer.