OFF THE CUFF: Heat rurned up on firebrand deputy

PRD FIREBRAND deputy Zulay Rodríguez, who has never been slow to criticize her fellow legislators even to the point of physical confrontation, is getting her share of the heat   after   an eight months delay in reviewing  accusations against the Supreme Court’s  chief justice.

Credentials Committee Chairman Jorge Iván Arrocha said Friday, January 29 that he will begin processing five complaints against Judge  José Ayú Prado  on Monday and accused PRD  Deputy Rodriguez  of delaying the processes, reports La Prensa.

Arrocha called Rodríguez “irresponsible” for not meeting a Friday deadline for producing a report on the cases, which were assigned to her in April.

“The congresswoman is irresponsible, she has had five reports on the magistrate and now she is asking to handle two new complaints, which are essentially the same,” Arrocha said.

Rodríguez was assigned to assess the complaints submitted by Juvenile Court Judge Juan Domingo Ibarra against Ayú Prado for ordering an investigation into his affairs. Ibarra accused Ayú Prado of various charges including violating the duties of a public servant and abuse of authority.

Between 2015 and this year, Ibarra submitted at least five complaints against Ayú Prado related to this case. The committee has yet to rule on the complaints because Rodríguez has not taken action on them.

Arrocha  gave her a deadline of Friday to issue a report, a deadline she missed.

Ayú Prado faces new charges over illegal surveillance and travel expenses by the judiciary. Rodríguez has asked to handle these complaints, but Arrocha said that it is unlikely they will be assigned to her.

Rodríguez said on Monday she will go to the Office of Administration to submit a request for consultation about the legality of Arrocha’s decision not to assign the new complaints to her so she could issue a final decision to the committee.

She also accused Arrocha and Committee Secretary Katleen Levy, who are both members of the Panameñista party, of delaying the process by refusing to give her copies of the complaints.

Levy said she provided the copies in June 2015.

Perhaps Rodriguez has been too busy handling her Facebook attacks on all and sundry, including fellow lawyer, Levy