Subway ‘czar’ denies concealing ‘vast emporium’ of 22 companies

Santo Domingo.- The head of the agency that builds and manages the capital’s subway lines on Thur. denied that his financial statements submitted to the Accounts Chamber conceal “a vast emporium” and affirmed that they comply with the law.

Opret agency director Diandino Peña said his family’s 22 companies are legal and transparent, and challenged those with evidence to the contrary to take it to court. “These statements are submitted in accordance with the law. What doesn’t appear in our affidavit is because our advisors have told us that it’s not appropriate.”

“There’s an obvious pretense and intent to establish an eventual link between the resources of the projects that we manage as an entrepreneur and public official with the Santo Domingo Metro,” Peña said interviewed on Zol-101 radio.

He said the companies, some offshore, have the ability to become corporate vehicles and can conduct the activities the law allows.”We can hold shares, projects, be able to assume the ownership of transaction processes or capitalization processes, since all these companies are registered in public institutions that obey the law, not only registered, they are all up to date in their tax obligations.”

Peña added that he also asked the Accounts Chamber to carry out a forensic audit of the execution of the Santo Domingo Metro’s three stages.

Report

Investigative reporter Alicia Ortega’s devastating interview of Peña Tuesday night shed light on the official’s “vast emporium” of 22 companies, uncovered by the Panama Papers.