“The Public Ministry investigates only what it wishes to”

Political commentator Juan Carlos Tapia has accused the public ministry of investigating only what the executive orders it to. Mr. Tapia made such declarations following a press conference held by Atty. general Kenia Porcell, in which she revealed that the investigations against Mr. Ramon Fonseca Mora in relation to the Panama Papers scandal had been halted. In an interview on NEXtv, Mr. Tapia urged the Atty. general either “to stand up” to the orders she allegedly receives from the executive, or to resign. Mr. Tapia revealed that he was in possession of sensitive information regarding a Panamanian public prosecutor who was sent on leave for producing compromising information in relation to the Panama Papers case that incriminated Mr. Fonseca Mora. His declarations reverberated across social networks, leading to a number of interchanges with Mr. Fonseca Mora himself. “Trust is like virginity: once you've lost it you don't get it back", joked Mr. Tapia in relation to Atty. general Porcell, warning that the population was sick and tired of being taken for ride. In parallel, a public protest was organized for today by civil society groups demanding a transparent investigation into the Odebrecht case. 'Trust is not something one asks for, it is something one earns, and she has been unable to earn it', declared university professor Miguel Antonio Bernal in relation to Ms. Porcell’s leadership at thepublic ministry. He urged civic society to remain vigilant during the course of this investigation. Before Atty. general Porcell made her declarations revealing the indictment of 17 people from the previous government of former president Ricardo Martinelli, the names in question had already been published by local newspaper La Prensa. Confidential judicial information pertaining solely to the parties involved in the investigation was also revealed by the newspaper. For this reason, the defense lawyers for Messrs. Luis and Ricardo Martinelli Linares as well as Mario Martinelli made a public complaint. Cristobal Arboleda, Mr. Luis Martinelli Linares' lawyer, pointed 'the resolutions of the public ministry appeared in a newspaper' while defense lawyers were denied access to the case files. Nelson Brandao, who defends Mario Martinelli, denounced the public media trial whose objective would include parading his client in handcuffs. Mr. Brandao explained that he had visited the offices of the first Anti-Corruption prosecutor in order to request the dates of the hearing, but that he had been denied that information. In parallel, he confirmed news that police units had in fact turned up at the residence of Mr. Martinelli with the aim of forcibly taking him to the prosecutor's office. One of the resolutions published in the media concerns the detention order issued by prosecutor Tania Sterling to the head of the judicial investigation office, Marcos Cordoba. Recent polls published by Dichter & Neira showed the trust that Panamanians hold in the work of the public ministry into this sensitive case to be very low: 68% of participants believe that public ministry's handling of this investigation is poor, with only 20% holding a positive view. The role of the Atty. general was also seen unfavourably, with 57% of respondents believing that Ms. Porcell is not acting appropriately, against 25% that do. Pollsters also asked if the Odebrecht investigation should be limited to the previous government or whether it should also include other administrations. To this, a resounding 79% of participants responded that the investigation should be extended to the administration of Martin Torrijos, during which the Brazilian firm was first awarded public contracts with the Panamanian state, as well as to the current government of Juan Carlos Varela. In a television interview, assembly member and secretary general of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, declared that he had no doubts that Odebrecht had paid bribes during the current administration. Both President Varela and his brother, who heads the Panameñista party, denied the accusations.