The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Panama issued a formal clarification this Wednesday, April 22, regarding its use of unpaid administrative leave for state employees under investigation. The statement directly addresses concerns raised by National Assembly deputies about the scope and application of this measure within the legislative branch.<\/p>\n
This clarification comes in response to inquiries from deputies Roberto Z\u00fa\u00f1iga and Luis Duque. They had publicly requested an explanation after alleging that approximately 40 officials linked to their political bloc saw their payments withheld. The comptroller’s office, the nation’s supreme audit institution, moved to define the legal framework governing these personnel actions.<\/p>\n
According to the agency, unpaid leave for investigation is authorized under Decree 90-2019-DNMySC. This decree outlines it as a personnel action applied to verify the fulfillment of official duties and the proper use of state resources. Officials emphasized the measure is a procedural tool, not a punitive sanction.<\/p>\n
\n“It is not a sanction, but a mechanism that allows investigations to be carried out with transparency and while respecting due process,” the Comptroller’s office stated in its response to Deputy Z\u00fa\u00f1iga. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Panama<\/a> provided specific figures to counter the deputies’ claims. It reported that only seven officials currently have suspended payments as part of verification and investigation processes initiated in the second half of March. All other employees, the office confirmed, have received their salaries regularly, including for the first half of April.<\/p>\n
Formal Implementation and Precedent<\/h2>\n
A formal application of the unpaid leave measure will begin with the second payroll period of April. It will extend to all officials under evaluation, in strict compliance with existing regulations. The comptroller’s office stressed this practice is neither novel nor politically motivated.<\/p>\n
The institution reminded the public it applied similar investigative leaves across various deputies’ offices last year without political distinction. Its latest statement aims to depoliticize a procedure it describes as standard administrative oversight. This action occurs within a broader context of the National Assembly of Panama<\/a> reviewing its own administrative practices.<\/p>\n
Internal discussions about attendance and payroll have been ongoing. Recent legislative efforts, covered by the asamblea nacional\/national assembly<\/a>, show a parallel focus on accountability for public officials who fail to report to work.<\/p>\n
Attendance Rules and Next Steps<\/h2>\n
The comptroller’s communication also reiterated internal Assembly rules. Article 161 of the body’s Human Resources Regulations states that only the president and the secretary general can authorize exceptions to mandatory attendance registration. Any situation falling outside this framework must be evaluated according to the law.<\/p>\n
\n“Once the verifications are concluded, cases that lack supporting evidence will be referred to the corresponding instances to determine responsibilities,” the Comptroller’s office underscored. [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n