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Communique to the country about the
CEMIS scandal
The undersigned
organizations have received with concern the news reports in the
communications media that make reference to the Supreme Court of
Justice’s decision about the case of CEMIS and the Supreme
Court magistrates, and of the dissent of three of the
court’s magistrates.
These reports
refer to a decision that declares the actions taken null, and
dismisses the case, on the basis of an unnatural parliamentary
immunity for the Legislators of the Republic.
For the citizens
of this country, who have waited for a pronouncement on this
disgraceful scandal for a year and one-half, the dismissal of
the case is news that fills us with indignation and sadness,
given that it deals with a grave act of corruption in which one
of those implicated publicly confessed to the commission of a
criminal act.
Since January of
2002 important sectors of the country have asked the legislators
to lift their parliamentary immunity, we have asked the Public
Ministry for a criminal investigation according to the law and
due process in order to avoid procedural faults that would cause
the nullification of the process, and we have asked the Supreme
Court of Justice for a decision under the Constitution and law
and not in political or partisan interests.
Today we see how
the news of a decision that orders the case’s dismissal is
capable of breaching the peace, causing among the citizen
greater unrest and lack of confidence in democratic
institutions, especially in the system of justice.
Precisely
because of the patience and wisdom we Panamanians have
demonstrated with respect to these cases of corruption, and
taking into account the gravity of the complaints under
investigation, the Supreme Court of Justice must permit public
access to the file, which permits Panamanians who believe in
better days for our country to form a responsible opinion and
guide the debate that has now begun in the communications
media.
In the face of
the credibility crisis which besets important institutions of
this country, which threaten its democratic governability, the
only road left to us is that of transparency and direct and
clear information. For this reason, it is urgent to analyze all
of the deficiencies in this investigation and in the
interpretation of the law.
We announce our
support for the effort that the Alianza Ciudadana Pro Justicia
to effect a “Civic Audit of the CEMIS case” and we
will participate in all efforts to restore confidence in our
system of administration of justice and get to the bottom of the
obstacles that we are confronting in the struggle against
impunity and corruption.
Panama, October 8, 2003
Year of the
Republic’s Centennial
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©
2003 by The Panama News
All Rights Reserved - Todos Derechos Reservados
Individual contributors retain the rights to their
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The Panama
News
Apartado 55-0927 Estafeta Paitilla
Panamá, República de Panamá
email: editor@thepanamanews.com
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