Former undersecretary of Pensions: "I sinned unknowingly"

SANTIAGO.- The former Undersecretary of Social Pensions, Lissette García, against  whom the Comptroller's Office has issued complaints related to representation costs totalling 12 million pesos (citing ambiguous payments), explained that all such expenses can be validated and blamed her advisors for not properly informing her about how to process them.

With regards to questions that have arisen surrounding breakfast, lunch and coffee break costs –totalling three million pesos— the former undersecretary has stated that the Comptroller's Office requires more records, telling Radio Cooperativa however, "I have still not been notified of any investigation (…) we processed the expenses, but I didn't indicate who attended".

García indicated that authorities do not add up expenses on a day to day basis and said that the advisors are the ones that inform them when the budget has been surpassed.  "They never told me. Furthermore, there is a timing issue here because many of the bills are from December and the invoice arrived in January", asserted García.

The undersecretary explained that the only thing she takes responsibility for are the almost $300 thousand pesos that were spent on gratuities, and which the Comptroller's Office also objected to.

"That is the only thing I am in charge of and the money was recovered. I never knew that when you are given the bill, you can't incorporate it (the tip). I sinned unknowingly", stated García.