Direct purchases that were executed by the Tocumen Airport with companies linked to his general manager, Joseph Fidanque, would further a continued practice in other organizations.
The above statement was made by Abigaíl Benzadón, former anti-corruption Tsarina of Panama, who yesterday regretted that "we do have a direct purchasing situation", which draws everyone´s attention since these are purchases that were not published with the required description in the Panama Compra Website.
"We are faced with a violation of the law because all - tenders - should be published, if this is not so, how are we going to learn what Tocumen is buying," she questioned.
The Director of the National Authority on Transparency and Access to Information (Antai) revealed between 2011 and 2014 that "this could be happening in any entity of the State if this practice would be considered as normal".
She said that "it is indeed the same situation – for which former officials of the State have been investigated - because it has been determined that there is a split-matter issue"; as well as in the case which former-Minister of Economy and finance Frank De Lima faced.
She added that the split-matter issue applied in these purchases "because contracts were awarded to the same company on the same day".
"I can see a breach of the law because they are not saying what they are purchasing. -Investigating the case is something they must do. There has to be a halt to this practice because nothing is being published nor complying with the law", she said.
Former President Ricardo Martinelli posted on his Twitter account: "If Fidanque were CD, they would already be investigating him. We shall need to wait until 2019 ".
Cifras
20 millones de dólares en compras directas a grupos de empresas de familias allegadas al Gobierno.
27 contratos directos estarían relacionados con el gerente general de Tocumen, por figurar como directivo en empresas como Cochez y Cía. S.A. y Geo F. Novey, Inc. S.A.
61 compras directas que suman $2 millones 557 mil ha realizado Fidanque de mayo a agosto.
