Attorney General will face wire tap charges with dignity and courage”
While Panama’s Attorney General, Ana Matilde Gomez said she would face attempts to remove her from office with “dignity and courage”, a PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party) spokesman said the attempt was a step towards a fascist oligarchy.
Gomez, the first woman to be chosen as Attorney General, is facing a lawsuit in the Supreme Court for alleged abuse of authority.
The complaint is from a complaint against her by former prosecutor Arquimedes Sáez.
The Administration office is seeking to have her removed from her post and prohibited from leaving the country while the investigation is under way.
Sáez was removed from his job in the Attorney General’s office after being caught paying a bribe during the exercise of his functions.
Gómez authorized wiretapping during a sting operation that was keeping tabs on Sáez.
A decision by the Supreme Court in July 2007 declared the "wire-tapping" measure unconstitutional.
"Our country is facing a historic juncture," Gómez said, adding that she will remain in office until the judges of the Court make a decision on the case.
On Tuesday, the Attorney General said she will now have to wait for José Abel Almengor who was sworn in as the Supreme Court Criminal Judge on Monday, and who will be handling the case.
At a press conference, Gómez said: “Here you will find an Attorney General’s Office willing to courageously face the Supreme Court of Justice … natural and confident that this court will honor its historical responsibility and define positive incidents and resources that I have presented in a clear statement, strong in content and scope subject to scrutiny by all citizens….”
“This is a severe blow, but not yet definitive, to the democratic stability of the country’s institutions" and urged the public to remain vigilant.
A PRD spokesman used stronger words, calling the actions against Gomez a "flagrant interference" by the executive to get control of the Judiciary. The Public Ministry figured to destroy the PRD.
The government “werewolf” Ricardo Martinelli was making a "false step" that would result in the development of a "fascist oligarchy" that would generate major problems.
The PRD claims that the leaders of the government should think of the damage they are doing to Panama.
Judge Abel Almengor who attended the press conference, will produce a report for presentation to the other judges and then decide on the request from the Prosecutor of the Administration to remove her from office.
The press conference was also attended by the Drug Prosecutor Javier Caraballo, Fourteenth Attorney William Parodi, Organized CrimeProsecutor, José Ayú Prado, Assistant Prosecutor, Luis Martinez and First Superior Prosecutor, James Bernard.