Wife of murder victim accuses PRD deputy
THE WIFE of murdered PRD activist, Juan Ramon Messina, has accused a PRD deputy of responsibility for the killing in a Paraiso, San Miguelito, restaurant on Monday, September 23.
Messina was shot and killed while lunching with his wife who is planning to run for office as a deputy in the upcoming election. Media outlets in Panama quoted Katiuska Ramos as saying that Rep. Pineda told her husband that if PRD presidential candidate Juan Carlos Navarro, moved against him and allowed her to become a candidate he was going to order the killing and that he had an armed package. “Raul Pineda kept his word, murdered my husband, the father of my four children, through his organized gangs ", Ramos said. “You are a murderer and you have forgiveness of God.,"
Hours later, Juan Carlos Navarro, secretary general of the PRD and presidential candidate announced the opening of a hearing to kick the Pineda out of the party and to prevented him running as a candidate for the legislature for district 8-6 (St. Catharines) for the upcoming elections 2014. That’s the constituency Ramos wants to represent.
Meanwhile, Pineda denied having had contact with Messina on Sunday.
Earlier in the year Messina on TV had called Pineda A “sapo”(spy) for Martinelli. Sapos were a notorious tool of military dicatator, Manuel Noriega,
Meanwhile, Raul Pineda denied any connection with the "horrible" crime. "I am a man of God and would never do that ," said the PRD deputy .
Pineda revealed that he had increased his security and that of his family.
Juan Carlos Navarro proposed a process of expelling PRD Pineda and he was not postulated as a candidate.
“We are not judges or prosecutors, but we have the responsibility to lead the PRD , "said Navarro .
Pineda said he was surprised by the decision without first hearing from Navarro, . "I am condemned before an investigation ," he added .
the victim
Messina was a lawyer and faced several but was acquitted . He was also attorney for David Viteri .
This was the second killing of a high level PRD activist.
OnJune 21, 2012 Gilberto " Kiki " Pinzon a team member of Pineda . On that occasion , Deputy Messina was accused of ordering the attack , which injured a sister of the member of the Legislature .
Earlier this year Booby Velasquez pulled out of the race to become the PRD’s candidate for mayor of Panama, after reports he had threatened injury to his opponent.