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Viernes 23 de octubre de 2026
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MP must investigate the DAS

Antonio Pérez M. (aperez@epasa.com) | @AntonioSaul

Given the continuing publications about direct and fractionated purchase during the current administration of Rafael Stanziola at front of the National Assistance Program (PAN), now...

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Given the continuing publications about direct and fractionated  purchase during the current administration of Rafael Stanziola at front of the National Assistance Program (PAN), now  Welfare Administration (DAS), the Public Ministry has the obligation to initiate an official investigation.

 

This was considered by Ernesto Cedeno, a lawyer and university professor, arguing that the law authorizes the Public Ministry to initiate an investigation of a case against the public administration who has been publicly denounced on a media.

 
 

Over the past week, Panama America published a series articles showing that in the old PAN contracts directly and split purchases occurred.

 

 
In fact Angelica Maytin, executive secretary of the National Authority of Transparency and Access to Information (Antai), requested the dismissal of the director of PAN, Rafael Stanziola, to be investigated.

 

For direct contracting and procurement aplit two former directors of the PAN, have been prosecuted.

 
 

It is Tamburrelli Giacomo, having injunction house arrest, and Rafael Guard arrested in El Renacer prison.

 

 
However, in the case of Stanziola there is still no statement from the authorities of the Public Ministry.

 

"The Public Ministry has to play its role to investigate these public reports," said Ernesto Cedeño.

 

According to the lawyer this is a delicate case, when the director of the PAN, in an interview in the news tv program Telemetro Report, acknowledged that that during his administration have become subdivisions cart.

"The division of purchases is extremely delicate", Cedeno said, explaining that at first glance is a violation of public procurement law.

He said there should start the investigation the public prosecutor and then determine whether this constitutes criminal conduct .

Rafael Stanziola, old PAN director

Contradictions

 

Although, Stanziola in a Telemetro Report interview, acknowledged that the institution direct purchases and fractionated occurred during 2014 and 2015 to the President. Juan Carlos Varela said such contracts have not been given in his management during the year just ended. 

 

Direct and fractionated purchases are not the only irregularities that have occurred in the PAN; It is also granting product before the contract has been endorsed by the Comptroller.

 

This cause the comptroller objected to a purchase for heavy equipment, which was then adopted by insistently.

 

Ernesto Cedeno is the idea that the Comptroller Federico Humbert should play a more active role here, working with the prosecution in the investigation that may be generated.

 

A complaints and confessions of the authorities add to the complaints of a group of businessmen who have questioned the favoritism that a particular company has.

 

The complaints are that the PAN excludes hiring consortia who have years of doing contracts to benefit close to the government.

Ceilings of Hope Program

One complaint is precisely in the contracts of heavy equipment for the construction of roofs Hope. 

 

According to a report published last week, Panama America warns that some 20 direct contracts for this work Miviot occurred last year, through the PAN.

 

However, for the minister of Housing, Mario Etchelecu, since August 2014, the Miviot has not hired directly by the PAN. 

 

He reiterated that the institution he heads has not direct purchases through the PAN in 2015, not even for work on the Ceilings of Hope Program. Panama America had access to a report that realizes that the PAN has direct contracts awarded heavy equipment and maintenance for more than $20 million for this program.

Mario Etchelecu, Housing Minister

Changes are propose on public procurement law to prevent corruption in the new DAS

Proponen cambios de ley sobre contrataciones públicas para evitar la corrupción en el nuevo DAS

Con el cierre del año 2015, termina una era controversial llamada Programa de Ayuda Nacional (PAN).

La entidad está rodeada por un controversial modelo de gestión que ha ocasionado una lista de denuncias que mantienen a dos de sus exdirectores en el banquillo de los acusados.

Acusaciones que rodean al nuevo director de la entidad, que a partir de este año pasará a ser una dependencia estrechamente ligada al Ministerio de la Presidencia, se trata de la Dirección de Asistencia Social.

En el Decreto Ejecutivo 775 del 12 de noviembre del 2015 se establece que la necesidad del cambio del PAN a DAS es para establecer un marco jurídico robusto que evite los actos de corrupción.

Sin embargo, para el procurador de la administración, Rigoberto González, ello se puede lograr con reformas a la ley de contrataciones públicas, porque de lo contrario, sería un simple cambio de nombre.

El PAN funcionaba bajo un modelo de gestión especial que permitía la contratación directa por motivos de emergencias.

Con el DAS se maneja el mismo modelo dirigido a atender las acciones para combatir la pobreza y atender a las personas afectadas por desastres naturales. El director del DAS, que es de libre nombramiento y remoción del presidente, trabajará junto a un consejo consultivo.

Datos

5 Millones de dólares en contrataciones directas del Miviot a través del PAN.

13 Compras directas hizo el PAN al cierre del 2015 para la compra de instrumentos musicales.

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