While the rector of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí (Unachi), Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas, is waiting for Bill 756 to be sanctioned – which would allow her to run for the third consecutive time for the position she holds – the Administration Attorney’s Office has decided to initiate an investigation in that house of studies, after receiving a complaint for the double salary received by several of its teachers.
On February 23, through resolution No. PA/DS-086-2022, the Administration Attorney’s Office decided to accept an administrative complaint filed by Professor Cristian Nieto Guerra, who, on behalf of the Front in Defense of University Rights ( Feddu), asked the Attorney General’s Office “to investigate the possible collection of double salaries from teachers of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí, who hold the positions of Governor of Chiriquí and General Director of Decentralization, as well as possible cases of nepotism [sic ]and to request the Comptroller to act and perform functions”.
Nieto Guerra, in his complaint, points out that he has also noticed student discontent, since the comptroller, Gerardo Solís, has not initiated any type of audit regarding situations exposed by the media, “which causes damage to the state heritage , since they are large sums of money that are indicated in the media, that these officials are charged “.
The Attorney General’s Office, in response, maintains that “[…] of the facts described by the complainant, it is noted that there may be a possible breach of the institutional administrative order, especially contained in articles 50 and 51 (numerals 1 and 6) of Law No. 14 of January 16, 2006 that reorganizes the Autonomous University of Chiriquí, created by Law 26 of 1994, articles 232 and following of the Unachi University Statute, as well as the possible infraction of the rules that govern the administrative actions of public entities contained in Law No. 38 of July 31, 2000, ‘which approves the Organic Statute of the Administration Attorney’s Office, regulates the General Administrative Procedure and dictates other Special Provisions’ in accordance with the Code of Ethics of Public Servants referring to probity, justice, responsibility and equality”.
Consequently, the Attorney General’s Office began a two-month investigation, as reported by the prosecutor, Rigoberto González, in a letter sent to the complainant.
This Monday the demonstrations continued in David, Chiriquí. Unachi students, who oppose the sanction of Bill 756, also reject the start of virtual classes in that study center.
According to reports to which the newspaper La Prensa had access, university classes would return face-to-face and semi-face-to-face, but suddenly, the Academic Vice President decided to maintain virtual classes.
Anti-riot units witnessed the clashes between the protesting students and the administrators who demonstrated against and in favor –respectively– of the rector Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas.
After these events, the Unachi Teachers’ Association (Apunachi) sent a letter to the Rector Medianero de Bonagas asking for face-to-face classes to be held starting on March 21, 2022. The note qualifies the administration’s arguments as “irresponsible.” to keep virtual classes at Unachi.
