The former vice president refused Saga and refused to accept the bonus. He said the court acquitted him of illegal enrichment.
Former Vice President of the Republic Ana Wilma de Escobar said before a special commission of the legislature this Thursday that she was investigating the bonus for not receiving any amount from public funds in order to meet her salary.
The former president held this position during the administration of the former president from 2004 – 2009 Antonio Saga, Accused of embezzling $ 300 million from booked expenditure items, pointed out to the commission that he did not receive any bonus during his tenure as vice president of the Republic or director of the Salvador Social Security Agency. (ISS), a position he held between 1999 and 2004.
Before the questions of the delegates, the Vice President replied that he received a salary of 28,286 in office; When he worked as director of social security, he received about 25,000 gallons, although he clarified that he did not remember the exact amount. “I didn’t get any other money,” he insisted.
He said he was surprised when former President Antonio Saga announced a $ 10,000 bonus for the month before the commission, and that he was surprised when he received his salary “exclusively”.
Also read: Quintanilla Schmidt tells the special legislative panel that “bonuses are legal and paid for”
When asked what he thinks of the bonus, de Escobar pointed out that he did not “comment on what was legal or illegal” because he did not receive it.
The interviewer said that the post of Vice President did not have its own budget and that all the funds it received came from the budget allocated for the post of President.
Subsequently, the investigation focused on the claims made by Sakka earlier.
“Can you deny that Mr. Saga lied to this group?” Asked the representatives of New Ideas, while the committee read a video with an extract of the former president’s statements.
They showed a video in which Antonio Saga pointed out to Ana Wilma that he was the highest paid recipient at least three times. Photo by EDH / Yessica Hompanera
“I personally do not receive any money from public funds to pay my salary or any other form of personal benefit,” he replied.
Despite the above responses, Vice President Walter Cotto asked, “Who is lying?” Insisted on questioning that, citing statements by former President Saga.
She bluntly replied to him: “Which word are you valid for? We are here to find out the truth. It seems more valid to the word of former President Saga than to the fact that I was a competent, hard-working official., I have been more corrupt than before.”
The Member of Parliament again asked him if the President had lied to the Saga Commission, to which he replied: “Ask him.”
Complaints and Interruptions
During the afternoon wear, the interview with de Escobar continued between interruptions and coercion by delegates for wanting to lead to a verdict or comment on the bonus issue.
In many cases,. The former vice president interrupted while preparing his answers, and he often said to the representatives of new ideas: “If you allow me to finish,” “Please, Mr. President (of the Commission), I have the right to answer.”
Deputy Rosa Romero said they did not share the public information requested by the deputy representatives. Photo by EDH / Yessica Hompanera
At one point, the interviewer was asked to read aloud the document provided by Secretary Elmer Charlix, which reflected the receipt for the bonus he had received during his tenure. De Escobar refused to read it because he considered it “invalid” because it did not have a signature.
The interviewer also noted the decision of the Probability Division of the Supreme Court in 2009 to acquit him of illegal enrichment by establishing that there was no evidence to prove the existence of a crime.
“It took the Probation Division a year to investigate me. He did not find any illegal funds or extra pay in my report,” he convicted.
Deputy William Soriano, for his part, questioned him about a probability report, which was paid $ 1.39 million to the commission yesterday, which does not justify de Escobar.
The statement from the probability section said that the former vice-president had been dismissed as “preliminary” and had been cleared and executed by the Supreme Court in the full session, i.e. the charges were clarified and dismissed and he was acquitted. Supreme Court. He insisted that the court acquitted him of the illegal acts. However, he continued to be interrupted by Soriano to emphasize what the report revealed.
“I have no money without justification. The decision of the Supreme Court is in the full session. Are you valid for the vote of the court in the full session?”, He replied. At the urging of a member of parliament from the ruling party, he added: “If you have an accusation against me, do it before the relevant authorities.”
Later, Rosa Maria Romero, vice president of the Arena, each time the former vice president intervened in her responses and denounced the fact that Assembly television was sounding silent for a minute every minute to tell the head of the commission it was serious. It requires.
Romero also reiterated the importance of holding delegates accountable for the information they handle. “The use of personal and personal information by civil servants is delicate, I did not say this for our meeting, I say it in a general way because we get the information of our choice as (Deputy) William does, because his wife works there and is the second command in the probability section, which is very sensitive, He said.
“People will evaluate whether this commission is objective or if it is still an event every Wednesday and every Thursday,” he said.
Romero asked for the letter to be sent to the court “immediately” and, as he was unaware of the report, demanded that the report fall into the hands of Deputy Soriano.
That’s when Romero Invited his new official colleague William Soriano to order, He complained that they did not share the public information they demanded because he suddenly slipped a document on the table.
“Don’t get spoiled, William (Soriano) … Didn’t they teach you habits and values at home?” Deputy Romero scolded his colleague. Soriano’s wife works at Probiot, which is why Deputy Romero revealed that he could access the documents, but they did not share them with representatives of the ruling party.
Before retiring, the De Escobar Commission recommended to delegates that “keep your documents, because you need them …”. They have been recommended to them before because, in their experience, it is important to have documentation beforehand of potential lawsuits they may face for their actions.
In the morning it was the time of former President Carlos Quintanilla Schmidt, who, during his tenure, received 5,226 a month, in addition to his salary, as compensation for the posts he represented, which he considers to be the subject of the President’s allotted expenses.
Schmidt served as vice president between 1999 and 2004 during the administration of Francisco Flores. He pointed out that this economic “compensation” allocation was agreed upon during a meeting with the then president at the beginning of his term.
He said “bonuses are legal” and that they are supported by legal provisions. He pointed out in his administration that these were paid for by the private secretary to the presidency of Francisco Flores.
In previous sessions of the commission, former presidents Alfredo Christiani and Elias Antonio Saga appeared, along with former private secretaries Arturo Dona and Elmer Charlix, respectively.
Saga, meanwhile, accepted payments to officials outside the executive branch and other political parties during his appearance, while Saga’s former private secretary, Elmer Charlix, stated the amount of the bonus during this administration, which ranged from $ 4,000 to 10 10,000.
# El Salvador | After the departure of former Vice President Ana Wilma de Escobar, of the Special Commission -Sepal Investigating the bonus, there was an argument with members of the press. Video EDH / N. Ángel.
More info: https://t.co/uKHoOH3EWX pic.twitter.com/Kz3BsyZMPx
– elsalvador.com (elsalvadorcom) July 29, 2021
