Archbishop calls for punishment of Martinelli era offenders

ARCHBISHOP Jose Domingo Ulloa has called for punishment for those who committed crimes in the past administration, headed by former president Rocardo Martinelli. His remarks, made  at a service in the Metropolitan Cathedral ,drew applause from the congregation.

 Ulloa also called on Panamanians to demand transparency and accountability from the current government
He urged citizens to exercise “great responsibility to demand transparency and accountability from authorities, because democracy is not exercised or built every five years, when we choose at the polls, but is founded on our actions and surveillance reports La Prensa.
Ulloa’s statements came Monday. September 9 during his homily at the Metropolitan Cathedral at the religious celebration of the 501 years of the first Diocese of the Isthmus of Panama and its patron saint Santa Maria La Antigua.
Facing accusations and challenges that are made about the actions and management in the previous government, he said that “it is necessary to clarify that these the current institutions have to exercise their responsibility to investigate and, if it is deemed necessary, to punish.”
“We cannot continue as if nothing had happened. Wherever there is the certainty of fraud … punishment is required,” he said. His words brought applause from parishioners in the cathedral.
The priest added that Panama has made progress to heal wounds from the differences we’ve had as a country, however, he stressed that there is still a need for consolidating democratic structures.