CORRUPTION : Martinelli hearings, deputy denials of farce

PANAMA’S Supreme Court will hold two hearings next week on charges being faced by former President Ricardo Martinelli, while two National Assembly deputies claim accusations against them by his lawyers, are an attempt to divert attention from his administration scandals..

On Monday, June 1 there will be a hearing requested by Martinelli’s lawyers to argue the invalidity and the violation of rights of their client. It is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Tuesday, a hearing requested by Judge Oydén Ortega, will take place at 2 pm. Ortega is acting as the court’s prosecutor of the former president. That hearing is being held to “legalize the results obtained in different proceedings.”
Both hearings will be in the Second High Court of Justice, in Ancón
Meanwhile Assembly members Benicio Robinson (PRD) and Jose Luis Varela (Panamanian) dismissed the statements of Sidney Sitton, lawyer for Martinelli, in relation to alleged payments they would have received from the collections agncy Cobranzas del Istmo, SA, in charge of recovering State taxes
In a press conference he said SItton’s goal is to divert attention from “all the links” to corruption scandals by officials and relatives of the Martinelli administration.
“They have wanted to tarnish the president’s brother Popi Varela and myself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Varela said he has asked the Public Services Authority (ASEP) for a copy of the opinion program on which Sitton made his accusations He warned that he will legally proceed against the attorney, for this “slanderous” statements.
Sitton said on the television program that Varela and Robinson received $1 million each, to manage payments to the Isthmus Collection.
Martinelli’s lawyer filed a complaint against Varela, Robinson and Minister of Economy and Finance, Dulcidio De La Guaria whom he accused of engaging in alleged embezzlement, corruption of public officials and influence peddling.
Varela said that after reading the report, he believes that this is “a farce”.