(27 Sep 1995) Spanish/Nat

The Colombian President Ernesto Samper has undergone nine hours of questioning over allegations that the Cali drug cartel helped fund his 1994 election campaign.

He has strenuously denied the accusations and called for the investigation to clear his name.

But testimony from those within the Cali cartel and within his own election campaign team has been very damaging.

The presidential palace was the scene for Colombian President Ernesto Samper's marathon interrogation.

He was questioned for nine hours by a congressional investigator.

Samper has continuously denied the allegations of Cali drug cartel funding of his 1994 election campaign.

But the campaign to clear his name suffered a serious blow following the surrender of Guillermo Pallomari to U-S drug agents in Washington two weeks ago.

In the latest damning revelations, Pallomari, who was financial chief of the Cali cartel, has said it contributed more than $5.5 (m) million to Samper's 1994 election campaign.
His statement confirms parts of the testimony given by Santiago Medina, Samper's former campaign treasurer who is in jail on illegal enrichment charges.

The President of the House of Representatives Accusation Commission, Heyne Mogollon was at the presidential palace for the interrogation.

The commission began its investigation at Samper's request. This is the first time a Colombian president has faced the commission.

If the Commission finds sufficient evidence that the cartel financed Samper's campaign, they can recommend impeachment.

But Samper was confident the process would clear him despite opposition politicians' accusations that it would be a whitewash.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
This process will confirm before national and international public opinion, and despite what some may think, that our country does have democratic institutions, and that these institutions function. We have a free press and institutions of control and oversight which investigate with the support of the government.
SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Samper, President of Colombia

Many members of Samper's Liberal Party and congressmen also being investigated for links to the Cali cartel are included in the commission.

Next week the Constitutional Court is expected to rule on who can investigate the president.

If they rule that the prosecutor general's office can investigate, then chances for Samper's ouster would increase.

So far, Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso's office has investigated and arrested three senior members of Samper's campaign for allegedly accepting more than $6 million in campaign contributions from the Cali Cartel.

But they say that despite having interrogated the president, they will only be satisfied when they are confident they have done a proper investigation.

SOUNDBITE:
No, I can't say that I'm satisfied. For me the satisfaction is that the investigation be complete and exhaustive."
SUPER CAPTION: Heyne Mogollon, President of House of Representatives Accusation Commission

Samper insists that if drug money is proven to have funded his campaign, it happened without his knowledge.

And on Tuesday night, the President promised to remain in office until the end of his 1998 term.

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