Naples. The third video of Fanpage.it's waste investigation is online, and Biagio Iacolare, President of Sma Campania, has announced his resignation. Iacolare is one of the protagonists of the third installment of the journalistic investigation, which recently also involved Roberto De Luca, Councilor of the City of Salerno.
His lawyer, Nello Palumbo, announced his resignation: "To avoid any exploitation of this murky and disturbing affair, both in its origins and its purpose, which remain to be ascertained, Iacolare will resign from his position as president of SMA," the lawyer said in a statement.
In the third episode of Fanpage.it put online this morning and anticipated yesterday by some newspapers, Nunzio Perrella, the former Camorra boss infiltrated for Fanpage.it, met Biagio Iacolare, president of the Board of Directors of Sma Campania, and his mediator, Mario Oliviero, known as Rory, municipal councilor in Ercolano, and former president of the municipal council, already involved in 2016 in the scandal for the sale of a job at the Ospedale del Mare in Naples, for 10 thousand euros. In that case, Oliviero was implicated in a video of 'Striscia la notizia' and resigned from the Presidency of the transparency commission of the Campania municipality.
According to the video, in an initial meeting, Biagio Iacolare, Rory Oliviero, and Nunzio Perrella discussed toxic sludge disposal deals. "The tenders are over," Iacolare stated in the video, "we'll keep managing them for a while because there's a huge mess underneath. The sewage treatment project was awarded to us while the tenders were being processed. Once the tenders are over, the winner decides. The private sector wins. As long as we have them, we can make this decision."
Following the meeting, Oliviero was seen in the video chatting with Perrella to finalize the deal, going into detail over lunch in Naples the next day: "We need to extend an invitation," Oliviero explained, "asking you for a bid directly. To complete this type of project, we expect to extend the contract for 6-8 months, or 18-24 months. In the meantime, we're also preparing the tender."
"It's best for you to make the offer at 195," Oliviero suggested, "and then it's normal that there may be variations along the way. Once you make us the offer, we're committed to providing you with the service." "Once the contract is signed, we'll agree on how to make the rest, the percentages, our margin: 25 for me, before we send the invitation, and 25 upon signing." "50 euros is to build trust, not between you and me, but between the two groups," he emphasized, adding: "You tell us where you'll dispose of it, but we don't care. 18 months, two years, we'll make a lot of money."
The two then agreed on a time to deliver the money: in the video, Perrella was seen handing the broker the briefcase that was supposed to contain the entire agreed-upon amount, 50 euros, but which, in reality, contained only junk.
Mario Oliviero, known as Rory, a lawyer, a member of the UDC like Iacolare, both close to Ciriaco De Mita, had already risen to the honors of the news with the video of 'Striscia la notizia' two years ago. In that case too, a bribe was agreed, 10 thousand euros for a job at the Ospedale del Mare that would open shortly thereafter. Oliviero and Iacolare are being investigated for corruption in the context of the complicated judicial investigation that intersects with the journalistic one.
The whole affair seems strange and confusing to me, but the facts can't be judged yet; the videos and images showed ambiguous conversations, the protagonists were varied, and the accusations seemed complicated. More time and documentation is needed; everything should be verified calmly and precisely.