Mayor Bosco awaiting court ruling checks into hospital

Hours after  a late night “heated discussion”  with President Ricardo Martinelli,  City Mayor, “Bosco” Vallarino checked into Panama’s National Hospital with cardiac arrhythmia.

The meeting took place at 11 pm on Tuesday at Vallarino’s instigation within days of the release of the Supreme Court’s (CSJ) ruling on the constitutional claim filed against the National Assembly resolution that retroactively restored citizenship rights to the mayor who held an American passport which he failed to declare  when he registered as a mayoral candidate.

The mayor, who has long been in the sights of Martinelli, denied to La Prensa that he had been asked to resign but said that the discussion had led to his health problems..
The mayor visited the National Hospital accompanied by his wife, at 10:00 am on Wednesday left at 1:00 pm. He returned  Wednesday evening accompanied by his advisers and was admitted at 8:30 pm.
"The mayor is not in good health and prefers not to comment. He is forbidden any kind of shock, "said Grimaldo Cordoba, chief

adviser.

The Panamenista Party member went on his own to the Palace of the Herons at 11 pm looking for a "truce" over the ruling supposedly being prepared by the CSJ. 
Congressman Jose Luis Varela, Panameñista said as far he knows what happened, Vallarino was "hard pressed" by the president to resign. Alberto Cigarruista, former Supreme Court judge  said that the resolution of the National Assembly which restored civil rights to Vallarino was unconstitutional. He based his opinion on the fact that an administrative decision of the Assembly has no retroactive effect because it can only be applied by law.
Cigarruista believes that it is up to the Electoral Tribunal (TE) to decide whether Vallarino had civil rights when he was elected,and whether the deputy mayor, Roxana Mendez should be installed or if the position calls for new elections.
The presiding judge of the TE, Gerardo Solis, said the Electoral Code states that after two years served as an elected official is not necessary to call new elections if he loses the job.
However, Solis decided to wait the decision of the Supreme Court before giving an opinion on the case of Bosco Vallarino. "I cannot speak or give opinions or speculation. The TE  has a historic responsibility and each person must accept the consequences of their actions," he said.
Edgardo Molino Mola constitutional expert said that the Supreme Court should assess  only the constitutionality of the retroactive effect of the resolution issued by the National Assembly to restore citizenship in July 2009.

"What counts is that he [Bosco] was not qualified to run for mayor at the time of submission of his application. The Court can only consider the constitutional aspects. The electoral rulings will come from the Electoral Tribunal," said the constitutionalist.

Molino Mola said the TE that should define the status of the City Mayor, should the ruling go against Vallarino. The Electoral Court is the one who has the last word in making a decision whether to suspend the election for mayor or put  Roxana Mendez, as mayor. "In my opinion that would be the last option," said the professor.

If the legislative resolution, the ruling could also leave open the investigation against Vallarino for committing the alleged crime of forgery by lying that he had Panamanian nationality.

Congressman Joseph I. Panameñista Blandon believes that in the end the Electoral Tribunal should decide the fate of Vallarino and not the Supreme Court.

"If you decide to remove the Mayor Bosco and leave Roxana Mendez Deputy Mayor, on one hand it affects the country's democratic institutions, being an officer who was elected by popular vote, and would be a situation in which the President imposes his will on the Supreme Court to ignore the mandate given to Bosco Vallarino by the people. Worse, it would be ignoring the powers of the Electoral Tribunal," said Blandon.