Prioritizing complaints against Martinelli prosecutor queried

Complaints against Supreme Court  Judge Harry Diaz who is serving as prosecutor of ex-president  Ricardo Martinelli in his wiretapping case have been moved to the top of the list of multiple denunciations being examined by the National Assembly credentials committee headed by Deputy Sergio Gálvez.

Gálvez who plans to team up with Martinelli in a bid to take control of Panama’s mayoralty denies that there is any political motivation in the move.

Annette Planells, leader of the Independent Movement (Movin), told La Prensa that being the deputy and president of the Credentials  Committee and running partner of Martinelli for the Mayorship of Panama,    “is obviously a conflict of interest”.

“It is incredible how a position as the chair of the Credentials and  Ethics  Committee is being chaired by a deputy so questioned and that he is using the position to try to impede the case of Ricardo Martinelli,” she said.

The lawyer Ernesto Cedeño said that the move generates suspicion.

He recalled that there  js a complaint against deputies   who charge double compensation presented in court and  who  have declined to attend and  was referred to the Credentials

Gálvez denied that there is any political interest or any relationship to the Martinelli and assured that the 14 complaints that are filed in this office will be dealt with.

He said that there are complaints against magistrates, against the President and Vice-president of the Republic. ‘When I finish my administration I will leave this office with zero complaints. I am going to clean this Commission, I am the president of this Commission, the law gives me power. I chose this case, once we close it, admit it or not, other cases come, said  Gálvez.