Assembly Committee studying evidence against Supreme Court Judge

The nine member . all party Credentials Committee of the National Assembly   has started  their investigation of the evidence of the six complaints filed against a Panama  Supreme Court judge.

At the same time a “technical” committee of lawyers will be studying the files  presented  as evidence in complaints against Judge Joseph Almengor, alleged to have been involved in an undercover plot to oust former Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez.

Miguel Fanovich, chairman of the committee  said that Members should read the complaint to issue an opinion on the veracity and value of the evidence but said that the lawyers’ report would not influence the final decision of the deputies."Members will study the documentation and assess the evidence and then decide whether to admit or not,"  he said/
The commission agreed to discuss the complaints, one by one, and in the order they were submitted.

The first case, to be examined on Wednesday  April  13 when the committee reconvenes,.

It is a criminal complaint filed March 29  by sociologist Ezequiel González Núñez  against the judges Wilfredo Saenz, Alejandro Moncada Luna, Anibal Salas, Alberto Cigarruista, Winston Spadafora, Nelson Rojas and Jose Abel Almengor for committing the offense against public administration of corruption of officials and influence peddling. 
The panel of judges strong signal failure Gomez's conviction in August 2010.
 The commission will also study the complaint brought by lawyer Zulay  Rodríguez Italo Antinori- accused of being the intellectual author  of the Plan to get Gomez.

A third complaint was made on on behalf of the Citizens' Assembly, calling for the trial to Almengor for alleged involvement in acts performed in the exercise of his functions, to the detriment of the free functioning of government and violation of the Constitution and the law.

 The Assembly claims  Almengor used his office to participate in the alleged plot to remove the Attorney Gómez.
 The fourth case is a criminal complaint was filed by former Judge Rodriguez on accusing Almengor of crimes  during  the performance of his  duties and actively participating  in meetings with members of a group called Haunted by Ana Matilde Gomez (Pamago).
 Other complaints  on unconstitutionality  come from individual lawyers and the National Union of Lawyers.