Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 15, 2021 Moderators Share Posted June 15, 2021 Quote Over 500 bags of aid food uncovered in raid Posted 14/06/2021 A raid on a home in San Francisco headed by Senior Anticorruption Prosecutor Ruth Morcillo on Saturday night uncovered over 500 bags of food from the Panama Solidario program and led to the arrest of one man The raid followed a public complaint by the digital medium Foco Panamá . The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office is conducting an ex officio investigation for the alleged commission of a crime against the public administration. A source confirmed to La Prensa that the arrested person is Julio Caballero, a volunteer for the Panama Solidario program. It was reported that inside the house there were more than 500 bags with food and other frozen products, such as chickens. Through a live broadcast and videos uploaded to their networks, the digital medium Foco Panama identified that bags of food were being brought into a private residence in San Francisco. They kept broadcasting for hours until the Police and Public Ministry (MP) personnel arrived. In photos shared by the MP, it can be seen that the bags had the logo of the National Government and the Agricultural Marketing Institute. The Panama Solidario Program, created as a response to social assistance at the beginning of the pandemic, and the Atlapa Convention Center as its center of operations. It was there that months ago, senior executive officers and hundreds of volunteers celebrated, with music and dance, the first anniversary of the program. The event was widely criticized as photos of senior officials dancing together and flouting social distancing rules circulated on social media. Vice President and Minister of the Presidency, José Gabriel Carrizo, was appointed by President Laurentino Cortizo to "lead the efforts." According to a report published on June 9, the program has delivered nearly 9 million bags with food. The same report details that 6,508 people volunteer daily with Panama Solidario, and that, $259.4 million were committed to supply the bags with food delivered. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/over-500-bags-of-aid-food-uncovered-in-raid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 18, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted June 18, 2021 Quote Solidario food bags suspect released Posted 17/06/2021 Julio Caballero the man in the San Francisco residence, where the authorities found over 500 bags of food from the Panama Solidario program has been released. Caballero had to be brought before a judge of guarantees within 48 hours after his capture, in order to legalize his arrest, while he is being investigated for alleged embezzlement. However, the procedure was not followed, because the authorities are not clear about the scope of Caballero's participation in the plot. Therefore, it was appropriate to release him. During the week, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office has carried out a series of procedures at the Atlapa facilities, where the Panama Solidario bags are assembled. The investigators also went to the Presidency to gather information that could clarify the facts under investigation. Last Monday, the prosecution returned the bags seized the day before, in the house in San Francisco of de Caballero, a former official of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP). The prosecution has carried out various procedures to establish how 500 bags from Atlapa arrived at Caballero's house, a fact known on Saturday thanks to a transmission from the digital medium Foco . According to a report published on June 9, Panama Solidario has delivered 8,736,263 bags with food. The same report details that 6,508 people work daily voluntarily in Panama Solidario and that $259.4 million were committed to supply the bags with food delivered. The work of distributing the bags in the communities is in the hands of the village representatives, under the coordination of the Presidency of the Republic, and it has been reported that in some cases their delivery is conditional on the political affiliation to the ruling parties. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/solidario-food-bags-suspect-released Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 22, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted June 22, 2021 Quote Three arrests in food bags scandal Over 500 food bags and frozen food found in residence Posted 21/06/2021 The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office has ordered the arrest of three officials for the alleged commission of a crime against the Public Administration, in the "Panama Solidario food bags” investigation. More than 500 bags from the Panama Solidario program were located inside a private residence in the San Francisco district a week ago. The Public Ministry, through the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office, initiated an investigation Last week it was reported that Julio Caballero, a former official of the Ministry of Public Works and member of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), was surprised with a large quantity of food bags from the Panama Solidario Program inside his residence in San Francisco, was apprehended on Wednesday, June 16. He was released after completing the 48-hour term in which he had to remain at the orders of the Public Ministry to be brought before a judge of guarantees. The hearing against Caballero was not held within 48 hours, as the Public Ministry was conducting proceedings and the information was not obtained in time from the authorities reports TVN. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/three-arrests-in-food-bags-scandal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted July 14, 2021 Author Moderators Share Posted July 14, 2021 Quote Four officials facing trial in food bags scandal Posted 13/07/2021 the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and one from the Presidency of will appear in court on Wednesday, July 21, for their alleged involvement in the illegal trafficking of 509 bags of food from the Panama Solidario program, created to provide assistance in the midst of the pandemic crisi The bags were found at the residence of Julio Caballero, a former MOP official, during a search on June 12. The process originated from a public complaint from the digital medium Foco Panamá. The prosecution has carried out ocular inspection procedures at the Ministry of the Presidency, as well as at the Atlapa convention center, where the Panama Solidario bags are assembled. In parallel with the investigation being carried out by the Public Ministry, the Electoral General Prosecutor's Office also opened an investigation related to the anomalies in the handling of food bags. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/four-officials-facing-trial-in-food-bags-scandal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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