Professionals demand suspension of doctor acquitted of sex crimes

The Federation of Professional Associations of Panama (Fedap) – made up of the country’s unions, colleges, and professional associations – filed a complaint with the Technical Health Council against Arquesio Arias on Monday, April 19, requesting the suspension of the suitability of doctor and professional of the PRD deputy.

In the opinion of the Fedap, Arias committed “acts that we consider immoral, in the exercise of his profession as a doctor, with a qualification in the Technical Health Council, which seriously damages the exercise of the profession and the Panamanian citizens who have suffered the same, as well as all the women of the country, for which the citizens have expressed their indignation, repudiation, demanding justice ”.

After eight hours of deliberations, at the stroke of midnight on Friday, April 16, a trial court made up of the full magistrates of the  Supreme Court declared the PRD deputy “not guilty” of sexual crimes against two women, one of them a minor.

“This ruling where the majority, that is, five magistrates out of nine, decide that there are libidinal acts, committed by the ideal medical professional Arquesio Arias and, of course, the content of the ruling itself shows that he committed these libidinous acts, only that, due to a privilege for the deputies since six votes of the magistrates are required, he was not criminally convicted ”, details the brief presented before the Technical Health Council, which has among its functions the control of the practice of the medical professions.

Fedap argued that the decision adopted by the Supreme Court does not prevent the Technical Health Council from being able, at an administrative level, to sanction Arias for acts against morality, because it has full competence to do so.

During the trial, which began on April 7, 80 tests were taken, including testimonials, expert witnesses, documentaries, and materials. The prosecutor was Magistrate Olmedo Arrocha.