The president of the INSS Joint Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPMI), senator Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), announced this Monday (23) that he will appeal the decision of the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), André Mendonça, who exempted banker Daniel Vorcaro from testifying to the collegiate. 
The testimony of the former owner of Banco Master was scheduled for this Mondaybut a habeas corpus granted by the minister determined that Varcaro would not be required to appear at CPMI.
“We have the Senate’s lawyers appealing this decision, we are filing a request with the Federal Supreme Court for Minister André Mendonça to review this position and for Vorcaro to be obliged to appear before this commission”, said Viana shortly before the start of the CPMI meeting.
Banco Master had a technical cooperation agreement with the National Social Security Institute (INSS) to offer payroll loans. CPMI investigates possible undue discounts, control failures and possible participation of managers or partners in irregularities.
Vorcaro, who is under house arrest, should explain suspected losses to retirees and pensioners.
“If we manage to reverse the decision in the STF, he will be forced to appear and, if he doesn’t, I will order his coercive conduct. Just because he is a banker does not mean he will receive benefits”, stated the senator.
Viana criticized the STF’s understanding of preventing testimony in parliamentary committees. Ministers such as André Mendonça argue that those investigated by the Federal Police have the right not to appear or to remain silent, so as not to produce evidence against themselves.
“Once again we have a completely different understanding between the CPMI and the STF. Vorcaro, in the Federal Police investigation, is treated as an investigation and, in our case, he is treated as a witness, because the CPMI report is not yet ready to request the indictment [de qualquer pessoa]. The STF’s decision, once again, interferes, harms and delays our investigations”, he criticized.
In Vorcaro’s place, the panel chose to depose Ingrid Pikinskeni Morais Santos, linked to the National Confederation of Family Farmers and Rural Family Entrepreneurs (Conafer), an entity identified as the beneficiary of more than R$100 million in illegal discounts on social security benefits.
Ingrid is the wife and partner of Cícero Marcelino de Souza Santos, appointed as operator and advisor to the president of Conafer, Carlos Roberto Ferreira Lopes, investigated by CPMI.
