Vallarino, Sánchez Moró, Ashby, Tamburrelli and Ferrufino Will Have to Serve Their Sentences

Bosco Vallarino in the picture above, the former mayor of the district of Panama, was arrested Monday at his residence in San Francisco by police officers, who executed an arrest warrant after being sentenced to 48 months in prison for corruption.  The director of Citizen Security of the National Police, Edgardo Núñez, reported that a search was carried out at the PH where Vallarino resides to execute his arrest. The arrest warrant against Vallarino was sent by the court to the Judicial Investigation Directorate (DIJ) on May 27, 2024.  This arrest adds to those of other former officials, such as Pedro Sánchez Moró, Ramón Ashby, Guillermo Ferrufino and Giacomo Tamburrelli.

In recent days we have witnessed the capture of high-profile figures who had outstanding arrest warrants for years. Cases such as that of the former mayor of Arraiján, who for four years managed to evade his final sentence, show us an alarming reality: justice has not always been a priority for the authorities. During that period, the inaction of past administrations created a sense of impunity, damaging the credibility of the judicial system and respect for the law. However, the new leadership of the National Police and the Judicial Investigation Directorate (DIJ) have made a significant turnaround by executing these orders regardless of the political weight of those involved. This effort to enforce the law restores dignity to their functions, reminding us that justice cannot be selective or optional. The execution of a sentence must be sacred in any state of law. There must be no exceptions or favoritism. The message must be clear: justice is respected, no matter who falls. Citizens deserve to live in a country where respect for the law is the norm and not the exception.