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The tithes add complaints in the Office of the Prosecutor
Posted On 10 Oct 2018
Ecuadornews:
The denunciations of a presumed charge in ‘tithes’, trips, floral arrangements and other items of assemblymen to their advisors, do not stop.
Four ex-advisers of Moreno Vallejo asked the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate. They did it through their lawyer Felipe Rodríguez. In total there would be 11, but the other seven are still in public office and are afraid.
Those who did break the silence reported that not only was 10% of the salary what would have been required as a ‘voluntary’ contribution to Alianza PAIS. The document indicates payments for when the legislator had to travel or her children required purchases or the acquisition of flower arrangements.
The situations are described in three hours of recording. The audio will be delivered to the Office of the Prosecutor for its expertise, comparison of voices and data extraction.
Rodriguez revealed that transfers and payments were made by credit card. He believes that it would be necessary to analyze whether or not there was money reimbursement, that floral arrangements, rental of premises in which the assembly members or their spouses held events, were paid by them (advisers) or by the assembly members.
After the track of irregular money is the Financial Analysis Unit (UAFE) that will send to the Prosecutor’s Office the reports of unusual and unjustified operations with the support of the case. If there were banking operations (transfers), as the advisers point out, the UAFE will find them. However, there is a drawback: “the bribes do not give an invoice or are bankized, precisely so as not to leave a trace”, says its director Diana Salazar.
In the Comptroller’s Office, a preliminary verification is carried out in the Assembly. This action began on October 2, will gather information and verify the debits of the savings and current accounts of former and current servers of the Legislative to determine if the rights of workers were violated. Once the work is completed in 15 days, it will be determined whether a special examination is initiated or not.
Last week, Vallejo requested to appear before the Ethics Commission of PAIS “to make my action transparent”.
With Vallejo’s in the Office of the Prosecutor there are at least five complaints from former and current legislators. Among them, against Karina Arteaga. Yesterday his accuser recognized the complaint and gave version.
Other cases
Palacios
Sebastián Palacios, of SUMA, was denounced by his ex-assistant José Revelo. He assured that since 2017 he was required 10% of his salary. He also said that he canceled the basic services of the department he shared with the legislator. Palacios said he did not know Revelo’s complaint.
Crimes
Concussion and bribery seeks the Prosecutor’s Office in cases of assembly members and ex-members denounced by tithes. In his appearance before the Assembly, the prosecutor Paúl Pérez mentioned the cases of Tito Puanchir (Pachakutik) and the ex-legislators Leandro Cadena and Ángel Vilema, of Alianza PAIS. (I)
