The Attorney General’s Office accepted a complaint against Dr. Reina Roa, Coordinator of the National Commission for Tobacco Control of the Ministry of Health (MINSA) for allegedly incurring in acts that violate ethical standards of public servants who work in government entities Central, according to Executive Decree 246 of December 15, 2004.
“The Administration Attorney’s Office has considered accepting the complaint presented and initiating a preliminary investigation, in order to determine the occurrence of the facts complained of; if these can be configured in possible administrative faults of a disciplinary nature, specifically those described in the Uniform Code of Ethics of Public Servants, as well as to ensure that the causes that motivated them cease and determine the subjects linked to their commission “, The resolution signed by the Administration Attorney Rigoberto González stands out.
The investigation is based on the complaint filed by the president of the Association of Smokers and Family Members for a Smoke-Free Panama, Hitler Cigarruista, in which it is argued that Roa, being a founding member and coordinator of international relations of the Panamanian Coalition Against Smoke, Tobacco (COPACET) maintains a conflict of interest for its independent development as Coordinator of the National Commission for Tobacco Control and as an official of MINSA.
This complaint is supported by the fact that philanthropic organizations such as COPACET, which has received awards from Bloomberg Philanthropies, have clear objectives in their goals related to tobacco control policies, which cannot be lobbyed by Dr. Roa, in the exercise of her duties. functions, facing the Ministry of Health.
As part of the process that is followed, the Administration Attorney’s Office sent an authenticated copy of the resolution and a copy of the administrative complaint presented to the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, so that he may render an explanatory report on the facts complained of.
Likewise, the entity established to exhaust the investigation in a term not exceeding two months and within the following 30 days to determine the merit of the complaint.
