Assembly Committee rejects CD activist complaint

SUPPORTERS of Panama’s ruling party (CD) continue to try to make hay out of a decision by the Electoral Tribunal, ordering the withdrawal of an attack ad, its overruling by the Supreme Court and another decision revoking the Supreme Court move, deemed unconstitutional.

Meanwhile CD presidential candidate Domingo Arias has tried to distance himself from the tangled legal web, set in motion by a group of CD activists, led by a former Presidential spokesman. Arias says he has no contact with the group.

The Credentials Committee of the National Assembly on Friday, November 22. rejected a complaint filed against Tribunal Electoral (TE) Judge Erasmo Pinilla by lawyer Honorio Quesada, another CD activist.
Six deputies voted against the complaint.
Quesada argued that Pinilla violated the constitutional protection of freedom of expression by ordering the suspensión of a campaign ad by the pro-CD group Panama Advances.
The complaint had been criticized by numerous groups, including the ruling CD, as attacking the Independence of the TE.
Panameñista Deputy José Luis Varela questioned the National Assembly General Secretary Wigberto Quintero for accepting the complaint in the first place.
He noted that the Constitution states that the National Assembly does not have the responsibility to investigate judges and the general secretary has to be more selective in accepting complaints.
PRD Deputy Leandro Avila said that the denunciation of Quesada remains a threat since the lawyer has already announced that he will present it next week to the Supreme Court.