The Public Ministry initiated an investigation for the crime of abuse of authority and excess of functions against Antonio Vargas Atencio, current General Director of Labor, of the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development.
The investigation began this week after the admission of a criminal complaint against him filed by the lawyer Rolando Rodríguez, on behalf of the Trade Union of Workers of the Electrical and Similar Industries of the Republic of Panama (SITIESPA).
If found guilty, the official faces a sentence of up to two years and disqualification from public functions.
Regarding the complaint, the Secretary General of SITIESPA, Jorge Alegría, explained that the accused official has incurred in several excesses in the exercise of his functions that have affected the functioning of the union organization.
The last of these illegal actions was to render null and void, through a ruling by this management, the appointment of two members of the Board of Directors of the union organization, a situation that directly affects the performance of the organization and, furthermore, has endangered the job of one of those designated, who works at the Electricity Transmission Company (ETESA) and is being pressured to get her unjustified dismissal.
Lawyer Rolando Rodriguez, representing the Union, was confident that the Public Ministry has understood the seriousness of the aforementioned actions and will file charges against the aforementioned public official in the coming days.
The union carried out a picket at the premises of the Public Ministry as a measure of support for the legal actions taken and was attended by members of CONUSI and other social and union organizations.
Vargas Atencio was sued for crimes against public administration, abuse of authority and violation of the duties of public servants.
In the legal action, the plaintiffs demonstrate how, through resolutions and notes, the official abusively contravened norms established in the Labor Code, directly affecting the proper functioning of the union organization.
A civil action has also been initiated for damages caused by the actions taken by the General Director of Labor, the amount of which was set at fifty thousand dollars.
