Concerns and criticisms swirl around Attorney General suspension

The appointment of a temporary replacement of Panama’s Attorney General, Ana Matilde Gomez, by the government, is against the constitution according to a former Supreme Court Judge.

In the meantime legal experts and commentators have been quick to criticize the actions of the Supreme Court for suspending Gomez and “rushing"  the process.

She has been suspended for alleged abuse of authority arising from a complaint made by a prosecutor under her command, who was investigated, and is now before the courts on bribery charges.
An editorial in La Prensa , critical of the Supreme Court’s decision, which is published on this site, drew a strong written rebuke from the Presidential Palace, La Prensa responded by publishing the letter on its front page.
In the meantime the announcement of the formation of a committee, with 50 percent governmental membership to monitor TV content has drawn further criticism as a step towards censorship.
Although the constitutional reforms of 2004 eliminated the position of Deputy Prosecutor, says Supreme Court Judge Edgardo Molino Mola, the government has just designated an alternate.

"This is a violation of the constitutional reforms of 2004 which changed the way of choosing the deputies of judges and prosecutors of the Administration and the Nation," said Molino Mola
"The executive can only appoint the a replacement when there is apermanent vacancy.. The Cabinet Council has no power to appoint alternates attorneys," the jurist said..

But the presidency has, designated Giuseppe Bonissi as an "alternate" to Gomez, based on Article 200 of the Constitution, which says that it is a function of the Cabinet Council according to an unattributed statement from the Presidential Palace.
El Siglo on Saturday, carried details of an online search for “chicas” by Bonissi..