THE TWO sons of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli who were named last week as prime operators in a criminal network soliciting and distributing bribes from the  Odebrecht construction company have issued a statement claiming their offers to cooperate with Panama anti-corruption prosecutors were rejected.

Swiss bank accounts containing $22 million   of companies they allegedly control  have been frozen and luxury real estate in Madrid and a helicopter have been seized

Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, , say they have been the target, of public accusations related to companies mentioned in the investigations. They have fled Panama and their present location is unknown.

The statement
From the moment we received the first information about these accusations, we have communicated our willingness to cooperate with the Public Ministry, making all the efforts to appear and face in the same conditions as other national and foreign persons, also investigated. by the Public Ministry. We do not ask for anything different, only equal treatment.

1. In July 2017, , we formally notified the Specialized Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office in writing of our interest in collaborating with the investigations and making ourselves available to provide the corresponding clarifications, which has not been possible until today, despite the fact that we repeatedly insist on cooperating and working with the Public Prosecutor's Office.
2. For many years we have developed commercial activities locally and internationally, without any conflict with the judicial authority of any country.
3. We have never been public officials, nor managed public funds, nor participated in government meetings. Our activities always took place in the private sphere.
4. We have requested that constitutional guarantees be respected and we were denied the basic legal conditions to expose and support our clarifications, which has been granted to other accused persons and national and foreign companies. Despite this unfavorable scenario, we are still willing to enter into a dialogue with the Public Ministry in order to cooperate.
5. We have been linked to money deposited in foreign accounts with which we have no relationship and, if we are given the opportunity, we can prove it.
6. Contrary to what has been falsely said publicly, we do not know Mr. LUIS EDUARDO DA ROCHA SOARES or Mr. OLIVIO JUNIOR RODRÍGUEZ, just as we have never had commercial or financial relations with Mr. RODRIGO TACLA DURAN. (Former Odebrecht Senior executives who have identified the sons as approaching the company and receiving over $50 million.)
7. Once the competent authorities finally attend our insistent call to collaborate and we are granted the legal guarantees provided by law, we will give clarifications that are requested.
8. We insist, we have the explanations to answer and refute the attacks and accusations that we have been subject to since the investigation began.