Panama homicides fall, road deaths climb

HOMICIDES in Panama during 2016  fell to  386 from 445 in 2015 but traffic fatalities shot up from 403 to 458.

Of the homicide  total, 71% was perpetrated with a firearm, 16% with a knife and 13% by other methods.

The most prominent motives continue to be adjustments in accounts, drugs and drug trafficking, gangs and delinquency squabbles. 52 people died because of robberies.

The days in which more murders were committed were on Sundays, with a total of 117 cases, and the hours preferred by the criminals were from 6:00 p.m. until midnight

Good results
President of, Juan Carlos Varela, says the security plan is giving good results.

In his report to the nation,  he said said that in 30 months of government the rate of homicides  has fallen by 47%: from 17 per 100,000 inhabitants to 9 per 100,000 inhabitants.

“I do not dare say if this year was less  violent than the previous year, but our numbers reflect the drop in homicides,” said National Police Director Omar Pinzón.

He said  that work will continue to reduce crime in the country.

Some of the more notorious killings listed by El Siglo included businessman Hernando Vélez Uribe, a 65-year-old Colombian, who was found in the Chagres River inside his car.

Vélez had the seat belt around his neck and was tied hands and feet in the back seat. Three people were arrested.

In, the province of Chiriquí the most disturbing  case was the murder of Professor Diosila Martinez, 41

She disappeared on November 11 and was found buried on a farm on December 5. Police  are looking for a teacher who had a relationship with her.

In Cocle, the crime of the year was that of the Kelimar Martínez, who was three months pregnant  when murdered by her boyfriend. He is in detention.

Six corpses  including one woman were found in a common grave in La Primavera, Villalobos, in Pedregal.

One of the bodies was identified as a Costa Rican.