Police and prosecutors searched the General Teaching Hospital in Ambato and two homes in an inquiry into alleged payments for public-sector jobs. Interior Minister John Reimberg said the operation, named Código Blanco, followed a tip-off describing demands of $3,000 to $7,000. The figures are allegations under investigation, not proven payments or court findings.
What investigators are examining
The central issue is not simply the amount named in headlines. Investigators will need to establish whether the alleged requests were made, by whom, and whether employment procedures were bypassed. Hiring records, recruitment rules and communications may matter as much as anything seized during a search.
What seized records may establish
Authorities reported searching hospital administrative offices and residential properties and collecting electronic devices and paperwork. Such material may help build a case but is not a finding of guilt. A search is not an arrest or a conviction; both the institution and the individuals mentioned deserve accurate, attributed reporting.
The unanswered questions
The decisive question is not how many devices were seized but whether investigators can connect personnel records, any alleged payments and actual hiring decisions. Formal charges or court measures would mark a later stage. At this point the available coverage describes an operation announced by the government; the hospital and individuals mentioned should not be treated as if a court had already reached findings.