Cousin of Chief Justice threatens protesting law Prof.
FIST WAVING and threats of violence erupted on the steps of the Supreme Court on Friday. during a protest by lawyers calling for the resignation of the Chief Justice, Alejandro Moncada Luna and two other judges.
The threats came not from the protestors but from lawyer Gonzalo Moncada Luna, cousin of the Court’s president .
In the middle of the protest, the fourth so far, Gonzalo Moncada Luna thrust himself into the crowd and launched a verbal attack on Law professor Miguel Antonio Bernal.
The demonstration began at 12:00 noon and ten minutes later Gonzalo Moncada Luna left the Court House and commenced his attack repodts La Prensa.
He yelled at Bernal that he should not not disrespect the surname Moncada Luna.
"It is the honor of my family. You made fun of my name. Critique what you want about Alejandro (Moncada Luna) , but do not mess with my name … I'll break your face , "he shouted. " Come and tell me what you said on television, to earn respect ," said Moncada Luna showing one fist to Bernal.
"I tell him man to man , I'm not against the protest, but I respect my family," he said.
The protesters responded to the attack saying that Bernal was not alone. One of them , lawyer Vicente Archibold , said: "You're not a man … here there are men and women."
Olga Golcher , former Minister of Government and Justice , invited her colleagues to ignore what happened , and not be provoked.
Moncada Luna withdrew and Bernal, who has a history of standing up to the Noriega dictatorship, commented:. " I do not respond to provocations that are financed by Mr. ( President Ricardo ) Martinelli.”
After the incident, Moncada Luna told La Prensa that before publicly rebuking Bernal he wanted to take him aside for offending on television the surname Moncada Luna, but Bernal declined to answer.
For that reason, he said, he came out and yelled at Bernal before the lawyers participating in the protest.
"I have no objection to criticizing and censuring Alejandro (Moncada Luna), but not agree that my name is disrespected , because it is the honor of my family," he said and demanded a "public apology" from Bernal.