THE SUSPENSION of preliminary hearing of the case involving former Revenue Director Luis Cucalón and four others for alleged offenses against public administration has led to widespread criticism.

The hearing was suspended because Cucalón was not able to attend due to health issues.

[caption id="attachment_64096" align="alignleft" width="384"] A La Prensa cartoonist's take on the hospitalized corruption suspect[/caption]

He has been hospitalized for about a year and critics point to the high cost of his “imprisonment,” excluding medical treatment.

Cucalón was moved from preventive detention to Panama's most expensive private hospital.

Money circle
The case involves a contract issued by the department he headed  to the company Cobranzas del Istmo for the collection of delinquent taxes.

Other defendants include Cobranzas del Istmo officials Christopher Salerno, Maria Salerno and Magaly Salerno.

Chritopher Salerno claims he delivered cases stuffed with money to then president Ricardo Martinelli,

The allegation is that the company paid bribes to government officials in exchange for the contract.

In some cases the company received a commission for payments made by government entities, including Tocumen International Airport, essentially being paid by the government for collecting money from itself.