Escorted by two agents of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) and carrying a black bag on his hands, covering his wives, entered yesterday the Court of Guarantees of Cocle, Richard Fifer, former governor of the province, to face the intermediate hearing for the alleged withholding of worker-employer contributions to the Social Security Fund (CSS) of companies Petaquilla Gold, for $ 3 million 199 thousand, and Panama Infrastructure Development (PDI), for $ 3 million 331 thousand.
By the Attorney General Anticorruption prosecutor sixth, Aurelio Vasquez, and a group of workers was mentioned companies.
At 9:12 am, the investigating judge, Albelys Herrera, opened the hearing and asked the parties to identify themselves: first did the prosecutor Vásquez, then the attorney CSS, Humberto Ledezma, and then Fifer, who he had no legal representative.
It was reported that Thomas Góndola, lead counsel for Fifer, had another hearing in the Family Court of Chiriqui, so could not attend. Carlos Augusto Herrera while the substitute lawyer, resigned as defense Fifer for late payment of their fees.
Despite not having a lawyer, Fifer requested the floor to speak at the hearing, but Herrera judge warned that automatically apply Article 25 of the Constitution, which states that no one is obliged to testify for or against of himself.
Fifer revealed that a week ago, without determining exact date, the CSS through the executing judge will bid a solution for late payment of worker-employer businesses quotas.
He said that an agreement was welcomed by the board of the CSS was established. Fifer asked the investigating judge within 30 days to complete the offer, since it is the time that will be awarded capital for the settlement of debt payment with CSS. The judge ordered a brief recess, and return, fixed 14 September 2016 as the new date for the interim hearing
Maria Eduarda Cordoba, legal representative of Petaquilla Gold, announced that the agreement is to cancel a payment of $ 1.3 million of the total amount owed to the CSS.
The representative of the CSS, Humberto Ledezma, confirmed that a "negotiation" with Fifer, but Liliana Ortega, a spokeswoman for Petaquilla workers and IDPs, said there that "seeing is believing".
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