A DEPUTY of the ruling Panamenista Party, José Antonio Domínguez has accused the current Minister of Public Works Ramon  Arosemena, of having ignored the irregularities that occurred in the extension of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway.

The two previous ministers are in preventive detention in El Renacer prison while under investigation for their roles in an alleged $60.5 million overcharge scam connected to the project.

According to Domínguez, in spite of the fact that the minister had in his hands the report that produced an alleged surplus of $ 60.5 million in the execution of the work, he did not file the corresponding complaint with the Public Ministry.

Domínguez also accused the minister of giving him an addendum to this contract, despite knowing about the alleged overcharges in the execution of the work.

"If he chose to give addenda to a contractor despite having corrupt vices, it is because there were vices in play," Domínguez said   in TVN Noticias.

The deputy said that the only thing the minister presented was a report to the Comptroller General of the Republic, which he does not have to investigate.

In a press release Arosemena said  that in parallel with the investigation carried out by the National Assembly, the Ministry also carried out a similar audit.

He said that in 2014, he asked the internal audit department to verify and analyze the contract awarded to TCT.  He explained that the department developed a preliminary report on the contract. The investigation concluded on April 27, 2015, throwing 'overcharges', in the work.

Subsequently, on July 27, 2015, the MOP sent the Comptroller's Office the results of the investigation and at the same time requested a forensic audit of the project.

The  statement  also argues that all the information required by the prosecution has been provided.

He said  that during his administration no payments have been made to the TCT company, except those directly linked to the maintenance of the highway.