The governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, said this Thursday (29) that he hopes that the Civil Police and the Public Ministry quickly conclude the investigations into the suspicion of irregularities in the supply of food to patients of public health units administered by an autonomous social entity, the Institute of Strategic Health Management of the Federal District (Iges-DF).
“The police are doing their job, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office will also do its job,” Ibaneis said as he took part in the presentation ceremony of 78 new buses that will be added to the district’s public transport fleet in a few days. “We hope they can conduct an investigation as quickly as possible and that those who are guilty, if any, are punished,” he added.
This Wednesday (28), the Civil Police and the Public Ministry of the Federal District launched an operation (Escudero) to deepen the investigations underway since April 2023, regarding the suspicions of involvement of businessmen and public agents with irregularities in the services provided by Iges-DF.
Created by the district government itself to streamline the hiring process for personnel and goods and services, the institute manages several hospitals and emergency care units in the Federal District. According to the Civil Police, investigators responsible for the case have already gathered evidence that the food supply to patients in public facilities managed by Iges-DF is precarious.
According to them, there is a lack of adequate supplies and equipment, hindering the recovery process of patients. In addition, there is strong evidence of contractual bias, favoring companies subcontracted by the institute that, according to the Civil Police, despite numerous failures in the provision of services, not only had their contracts renewed but also their requests for increases in transfer amounts were met by the institute.
“Furthermore, solid evidence was found that this alignment between businesspeople and managers of Iges-DF occurred due to the receipt of undue benefits, in the form of bribes, for public servants,” the Civil Police stated in a statement.
Twenty search and seizure warrants were served this Wednesday, at addresses linked to businesspeople and employees of the institute in the Federal District, in Goiânia (GO) and in Macapá (AP), in addition to the Iges-DF headquarters itself.
Hours after the launch of Operation Escudero, the institute’s Board of Directors (Conad) removed the vice-president and director of Administration and Logistics of the institute, respectively, Caio Valério Gondim Reginaldo Falcão and Antônio Carlos Garcia Martins Chaves, targets of the police investigation.
In a statement, Iges-DF reported that the initial suspension will be temporary, for 30 days, so that Falcão and Chaves “can work on their defenses and so that the facts can be duly investigated.” The institute’s Board of Directors is chaired by the district health secretary, Lucilene Florêncio.
“Iges-DF remains at the disposal of the competent authorities to provide all necessary support for ongoing investigations. We reaffirm our commitment to transparency and legality,” the institute added in the note.
