OFF THE CUFF: Ex VP plays age card to flee detention

ONE OF Panama’s first post invasion vice presidents is again using the “age” card to get bail in one of the multiple corruption investigations he is facing.

Alfredo Vallarino, lawyer for Felipe ‘Pipo’ Virzi filed the bail application after alleging that his client has not at any time disregarded the proceedings in the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

He has however in unrelated cases, using other counsel, managed to delay court proceedings with various strategies, including “running for office” in a PRD election even though he was closely allied with the fugitive ex-president. Ricardo Martinelli, founder, and leader of the Democratic Change (CD) Party.

Virzi has been detained since  August 17 , accused of money-laundering related to a loan issued by the Caja de Ahorros (CA) and then transferred to the Financial Pacific (FP) brokerage.

The Seventh Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, Leyda Sáenz,  is investigating why the loan was diverted to FP, when it was intended for the building the Amador Convention Center.

In his bail petition, the lawyer said that Virzi had voluntarily stripped himself of immunity from participation in the electoral system and he is a 74-year-old person.The age card was played when Virzi was behind bars, and he was moved to house arrest. While in his Chiriqui home he was involved in other activities which led to an additional investigation. Virzi was 71 at the time.

A 75-year-old  Panamainian woman, without the financial and legal resources of Virzi, was recently jailed for  five years.