Former Regional ATTT Director And 19 Others Investigated For Illegal Importation Of Buses
The Third Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office accused the former director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) of Colon, Blas Rodriguez, and 19 other individuals for the international importation of the "Red Devil" type buses, although such activity was prohibited by Executive Order 208 of 19 April 2011, and Executive Order 780 of 25 November 2011. So far, the investigations have revealed that Rodriguez authorized the importation of the buses on the pretext that they were supposed to be for private use, but many of the vehicles later ended up being used on the bus routes along the Atlantic coast and in La Chorrera. A single document signed by Rodriguez, included in investigation case file, allows for the illegal importation of 100 buses.
Bus Owners Request Privacy For Lists - The president of the National Transportation Chamber, Dionisio Ortega, said this organization is not opposed to the allegations, and the investigations being conducted into the illegal introduction of these types of buses into Panama in order to be compensated. "I am sure that all of our partners have acted within the law and have complied with the agreements with the State for the modernization to take place," he said. However, he asked the government authorities not to disclose the names of those who have received the $25,000 compensation payments, for safety reasons.
Editor's Comment: Let's see, 100 buses at $25,000 each, that's $2.5 million dollars. And, that was with just one document. Yeah, they're going to fry these guys...
