Mayor Bosco illegal election challenge drags on through courts

The legal and political debate over the the mayoralty post of Bosco Ricardo Vallarino drags on, with newly appointed Supreme Court Judge Harry Diaz handed the thorny issue of resolving a legal challenge against a colleague.

The challenge is against Alberto Cigarruista, who has handled the complaints of unconstitutionality filed against the resolution adopted by the National Assembly in July 2009, which returned citizenship to Panama’s mayor Bosco Ricardo Vallarino.

Cigarruista was challenged on July 5 by the attorney Zack Calvera Oro, who four days earlier had filed the third lawsuit against the decision of the Assembly.
The challenge was based on two alleged grounds: that on July 3, 2009, when the Assembly issued the resolution  Cigarruista’d  daughter worked in the legislature and failed to declare that  and Vallarino is part of the Panamaniasta Party , to which Cigarruista belonged before being appointed a judge in 2002.
Courthouse sources confirmed To La Presnas that while the complaint has not been resolved, the preliminary draft Cigarruista  had circulated among his eight colleagues in th court, has been suspended.
The sources also reported that, despite the legal situation , the judiciary this week sent  a copy of the lawsuit filed by attorney  Calvera Oror to Attorney General Jose Prado Ayú for an opinion.

In 2010 – then acting Attorney General Giuseppe Bonissi. said that the Assembly  resolution of the Assembly was not unconstitutional. Giuseppe Bonissi later who resigned under a cloud when his office was infiltrated by narco traffickers, 
On Friday a full page advertisement in  La Estrella, signed by Mario Castillo, challenged the decision of the National Assembly, the Ecectoral Tribunal, the decision of  the Supreme Court Judge, and the role of the Panamanista party which is part of the ruling coalition which has been riled with internal fighting with the other coalition party, the Martinelli led, CD (Democratic Change).

The first claim was filed by attorney Armando Aguilar on February 1, 2010, and the second by Miguel Antonio Bernal, on behalf of Mario Castlillo on 23 July of that year.

Bosco Vallarino was challenged during the election for not declaring that he had acquired American citizenship and was thus unable to run for office.