Top judge denies Assembly non-aggression pact

PANAMA’S controversial Supreme Court president has  attacked the widespread perception that there is a non-aggression pact between the court and the deputies of the National Assembly,

The activities of Jose Ayú Prado, appointed as Attorney General and then to the Supreme Court by ex-president Ricardo Martinelli has been  the focus of public comment since a key witness in the Financial Pacific investigation accused him of altering her testimony which contained allegations against Martinelli. His re-election as the senior magistrate was widely criticized as two rookie judges voted for him within hours of taking their seats.

During his terms, he has been constantly under the spotlight for his taxpayer-funded overseas jaunts and for numerous denunciations against him.

On Wednesday, October 25 he dismissed alleged complicity or the existence of a non-aggression pact between the Supreme Court  judges and the Assembly  deputies

He said that the whole subject of the alleged pact is a ‘speculation’ of some people because he said that the judges of the CSJ, fail all cases in law.

“If we go to these speculations of the existence of pacts, I have nothing more to say that here there is freedom of opinion and people can say what they want. There is no such agreement,”said Ayu Prado.

In the case of deputy Jorge Alberto Rosas, he stressed that although he did not participate in the ruling, he did review it and considered that the Court acted in a consistent manner.

Money laundering
Rosas was denounced for alleged unjustified enrichment, in the form of money laundering, after receiving money from Odebrecht, but due to the lack of ‘suitable proof,’ the Court rejected the complaint.

But so far this year, more than 10 denunciations against deputies have been filed or not admitted by the Court, considering that they lack the right test.

In the Assembly, until May, the Credentials Committee, once headed by  Rosas, had filed nine complaints against the judges.

Despite the words of Ayú Prado, members of civil society still believe in the existence of complicity between both organs of the State reports El Siglo.

Political scientist, Richard Morales, said that there is a pact of complicity and impunity between the Court and the Assembly “in which their interests are protected mutually.

“The magistrates and deputies protect each other because both respond to the same political elites and the same interests,” Morales said.

Movin’s leader, Anette Planells, believes that through the armory law and the so-called “summary or appropriate evidence”, both magistrates and deputies shield themselves from investigating.

She e considered it unacceptable that in a case as important as Odebrecht, the status of ‘deputy’ should be used to halt the investigation.

“Deputy Rosas even admitted in an interview with prosecutors, having received transfers from Constructora Internacional del Sur, a company that Odebrecht executives have admitted was used to pay international bribes,” she said.

Ready to stand down? 

Meanwhile, Ayú Prado, who days ago hinted at seeking another term as court president told the Chamber of Commerce that he does not want to be re-elected and said that the current presidency was not demanded but won.

He said that the Plenary is occupied in other subjects and not in the election of a new president, but civil society has long complained of the lack of progress in corruption cases sitting in the Supreme Court.