Marcela Rebelo
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The Commission of Inquiry of the Comptroller-General's office of the Chamber of Deputies approved a motion today to summon approximately 14 lawmakers to provide clarifications on the accusations made by the president of the PTB, Roberto Jefferson (RJ), regarding an alleged scheme of monthly allowances paid to lawmakers, the so-called "big monthlies." "We are inviting around 40 people, including 14 members of the parliament. They were all cited in the newspaper reports and in Roberto Jefferson's testimony before the Council of Ethics," explained the Commission's reporter, Robson Tuma (PFL-SP).

According to the comptroller-general of the Chamber, Deputy Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), the lawmakers will be the first ones to testify.

Deputy Roberto Jefferson testified for more than six hours, yesterday (14), in the Council of Ethics and Parliamentary Decorum of the Chamber of Deputies on the "big monthlies" accusations.

Translation: David Silberstein