According to Luis Mario Rodriguez, “Equal pay for legal affairs secretary is protected by law”

Luis Mario Rodriguez, the former legal secretary of the presidential administration of Elias Antonio Saka, was summoned by representatives of the special commission of the legislature to inquire into the “bonuses” given to former public officials.

Before the questions of William Soriano, deputy of new ideas; Former Legal Secretary Luis Mario Rodriguez explained that the Supreme Court’s full court ruled that “there were no signs of malpractice or illicit enrichment in my property.”

Also read: “Questions and answers (from the Commission to Investigate Bonuses) show the relationship between Saka and the state” says Roberto Rubio

As Deputy Judge Soriano re-reads parts of the Probation Division reports, it appears that some judges did not accept the full court’s decision.

However, Rodriguez reiterated that it was the entire court that ruled that he had no objection to his statements, and that Soriano restrained himself from reading some of the appendices made later.

The same case previously happened with former Vice President Ana Wilma de Escobar, who wanted to accuse Soriano of having more than a million dollars without justifying his patriotic declaration, reiterating that de Escobar was the full court who concluded that there were no signs of illicit enrichment.

Read more: Former ministers Darlin Mesa and Rosa Chavez did not attend commission on bonuses; Mesa says he is out of the country

To the question of Deputy Idea deputy Rebecca Santos, how much was her nominal salary when she served as the former legal secretary to the president; Rodriguez replied that it had been explained to him that his salary was covered by state and financial regulations published in the Official Gazette.

According to him, under that law, his salary is $ 8,000 per month, which is based on the legal provisions of the Financial Branch Executive Agreement 480, June 4, 1999, on organic law. It was clearly pointed out that the Minister of Finance of the State Finance Administration decides to dictate the policies and regulations for payments, and they are referred to as manuals.

“I did not receive the bonus in the sense you gave. My position was explained to me that I was paid $ 8,000 by the Organic Law of the State and the Treasury and $ 2,580.53 by the Salary Act,” Rodriguez argued.

Sakka, who appeared before the special commission, said the former officer received a bonus of up to $ 11,000 a month while working in the office. Saka’s former private secretary, Elmer Charleck, paid for Rodriguez’s doctoral education in Spain at a time when the then president paid $ 3,400 from what was formerly known as “allocated expenses.” . Rodriguez should clarify these concerns before representatives of the Special Commission.

Previously, former vice president Ana Wilma de Escobar; Former Vice President Carlos Quintanilla Schmidt; Former President Saka, former President Alfredo Christiani and his former private secretary, Arturo Dona.

See also: Quintanilla Schmidt tells a special assembly committee that “the bonus was legal and a complement to the salary”

Also read: “They should investigate not only past governments but all governments”: Former President Christiani to Special Commission on Bonus Inquiry