The direct hiring of Tejada Lawyers´ firm to address criminal complaints and issues in the Ministry of Environment, when there is a legal team already constituted, is not only an act of double standard that creates conflict of interest, but is also further proof of the lack of transparency that prevails in the Government of President Juan Carlos Varela.
So conclude lawyers and critics of the management of the President as they refer to this case and stated that this would not be the first time that an official as Mirei Endara Minister fails to hire companies linked to groupings to which they have belonged, as in this case the movement of Independents of Panama (Movin), where former Ombudsman and owner of the contracted firm, Juan Antonio Tejada, comes from.
The mere fact of having hired directly, for a total of 176 thousand 550 dollars, the firm would demonstrate that it is a practice endorsed by the Executive, said lawyer Miguel Antonio Bernal.
Bernal explained that these practices do not contribute at all to transparency and accountability, and much less to the professionalism of lawyers.
"I do not understand how Ms. Mirei has lent herself to this," he said.
The lawyer stated that this hiring calls for an investigation by prosecutors, as well as other institutions where this type of wrongdoings are committed.
On this subject, lawyer Ernesto Cedeño believes that "it is unacceptable that an official with command and jurisdiction should hire with public funds a lawyer to defend him in a criminal case".
In this sense, the leader of Frente Amplio por la Democracia, Fernando Cebamanos, said that this shows that what used to be criticized during the election campaign is what the Government is doing today.
"They are arbitrarily making hire expenses because they have paid attorneys and it makes no sense; there has to be an explanation but apparently there is not, aiming to benefitting the firm of a person, which corresponds to an act of corruption,” he stressed.
And it is that in the technical report of the contract, the Minister Endara said that there are 13 lawyers specialized in administrative law and procedures that handle make it difficult for the
attention of 12 criminal reason why Tejada lawyers was hired.
However, Cebamanos pointed out that they not can get away with an explanation of that kind because making this affirmation does not resolve the issue of transparency.
Previously, Minister Endara was questioned for the purchase of a property valued at 700 thousand dollars, which she did not clarify.
Moreover, the Minister in 2015 acquired a late model Honda brand car at a cost of 60 thousand dollars, from a company of which her husband, Miguel Heras, is a partner.
Only last April 7, the Administrative third chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice declared the Minister of environment in contempt of court.
The Court sanctioned with a fine of $100 to Endara for not surrendering a certified copy of a record relating to a claim for annulment against the environmental impact study for the exploitation of a quarry in Veracruz, Arraijan district.
