Wiretapped judges can hear habeus corpus appeals

PANAMA’S Supreme Court has rejected requests by two judges to recuse themselves from hearing habeus corpus appeals involving two former secretaries of the National Security Council.

 At Wednesday’s meeting the Court of Justice decided to reject requests of impediment presented by judges Jose Ayu Prado and Victor Benavides, over the appeals,of Gustavo Perez and Alejandro Garuz who are both in La Gran Joya prison facing investigation for for the crimes of inviolability of secrecy and privacy, for wiretaps during the administration of President Ricardo Martinelli. Both judges were on the list of political and business leaders who were wiretapped by the Ricardo Martinelli administration
With this decision both judges may issue an opinion as to the feasibility of the request for the defense of Garuz and Perez to lift the imprisonment injunction for a less severe remand. for