
Another victim falls to the criminals. Daniel Alberto Carrizo, 19, was washing his car in the parking lot in front of his house when he as jumped by four young men bearing firearms. The criminals took Daniel through the door of the laundry and subsequently entered the house, where there were five more members of the family. All had their hands tied and they were thrown to the floor. This assault occurred at 8:30 pm on Monday evening in Hato Pintado, when all of the members of this family had returned from their jobs and college. Two of the criminals went upstairs and started filling bags with the property they intended to steal. The other two were guarding the hostages, to whom they said they would not do anything. Within minutes, officers of the National Police arrived at the house. Upon arriving and seeing the water running from the hose and the doors hanging open they decided to enter. That was when one of the robbers saw the policemen and there was an exchange of fire, in which Daniel was shot in the head. Two of the criminals were shot in the legs. One is Gil Ernesto Gonzalez, 19, and the other is a 16 year old minor. Both had 9mm handguns. The other two are fugitives. Max Lopez, a close family friend, asks that justice be done and they do not want what happened in this household to happen to another family, it is a very painful loss. Alejandro, David's brother, who still had the marks on his wrists from where he was tied up, described Daniel as an obedient young man who was studying marketing at the USMA, attended church and helped his father at work. The young man's funeral will be tomorrow at 11:00 am Christian House of Prayer in Santa Elena. (Source: Dia a Dia)









No one is safe! Colon businessman kidnapped in broad daylight. At around 10:00 am yesterday morning police discovered a red Mini Cooper with license plate number 857228 abandoned near the corner of 15th Street with Central Ave in the city of Colon. Witnesses told authorities that, moments before, the driver of the car was forced out of this vehicle at gunpoint and forced into another vehicle. This occurred near the entrance to the city of Colon in front of the Plaza Millennium shopping center. The driver of the Mini Cooper is a businessman of Lebanese origin. Normally well-informed sources said he was kidnapped, and the criminals quickly made contact the businessman's family members. They said the kidnappers demanded a payment of $100,000 dollars for his safe release, which was delivered. But instead of releasing him they demanded an additional $150,000 dollars, which the family members paid and the victim was released. The National Police said yesterday afternoon the case was registered as a possible car theft, but they also admitted they did not know the whereabouts of the driver of the car. The National Police never confirmed if the businessman ever appeared. (Source - El Siglo)
While Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli said yesterday that he would give his full support to the Director of the National Police, Gustavo Pérez de la Ossa, Panama's Attorney General, Giuseppe Bonissi, said it was premature to open an investigation. Both statements came after a classified report from the National Police, dated 22 March 1990, revealed Pérez de la Ossa was discharged for "affect the prestige of the police" for having kidnapped US citizens during the invasion of Panama, Operating Just Cause. Martinelli only said - via email - that he "trusts fully in the work of Pérez de la Ossa because he is doing an excellent job," as are the other members of the National Police. Meanwhile, Bonissi said that once he receives the documentation in this case it would fall to a prosecutor to investigate. "It will be necessary to clarify the information, and therefore, we should verify the factors that occurred many years ago and evacuate them according to law," he said. Perez de la Ossa also received the support of the Minister of the Presidency, Papadimitriu Demetrius, who said "there will be no changes in the National Police." Complaint: Meanwhile, a group of lawyers, including the former Chief of the now defunct Judicial Technical Police (PTJ), Jaime Abad, said they would file a complaint before the Attorney General asking for clarification of the incident through a thorough investigation. Abad said the incident has to do with the possible commission of an "aggravated felony" because it infringed the physical safety of human beings who had no involvement in the armed conflict, in violation of the Geneva Convention. Abad cited Article 1992 of the Judicial Code which reads: "When an agent of the Public Ministry becomes aware, by any means, that in the Territory where he exercises his functions that a crime has been committed, he should immediately initiate the respective preliminary investigation ...". For his part, the former President of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives, Enrique De Obarrio, supported the statements of former Vice President, Guillermo Ford, who said this is a "very serious" issue. However, he said it would be necessary to hear the version of the Director of the National Police director, once he returns to the country, to clarify what happened. (Source: Panama America)
By DON WINNER for
Panama's Deputy Minister of Government and Justice, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, said this morning on the Channel 13 Telemetro news program, that the government will spend more than $100 million dollars to rebuild the nation's prison system. Fabrega said "this money will be spent on building prisons and not just making patches, like the installations in Monte Esperanza in Colon," which was originally a laundry, he said. The Deputy Minister said that in the coming years there will be a change in the overall way in which the long standing problem of the prison system in the country is addressed. (Source: La Estrella)
Luis Alberto Arboleda Dutary was detained by Traffic officers of the National Police while driving a red Hyundai with registration number 503804 at the entrance to La Lajas de Chame. The police officers used the new system which allows them to check in real time to see if a person has any outstanding wants or warrants using the person's driver's license. This system indicated Arboleda Dutary had a pending arrest order, number 699 of the Fourth Criminal Court, dated 11 June 2003. He also had an additional arrest warrant pending, number 6826 from the Third Circuit Prosecutor's Office of Panama, dated 22 October 2007. Finally, this person was turned over to the proper judicial authorities for processing. (Source: La Estrella)
Murder and robbery at sea. Yesterday morning Lisandro López made it to shore near El Embarcadero in Juan Díaz after having spent hours keeping himself afloat, as the only survivor of three who were robbed at gunpoint aboard a fishing boat named "El Sol." Upon reaching land, Lisandro told the inhabitants of El Embarcadero what had happened and he asked them to call the police. On Tuesday night, near Paitilla, the three fishermen were aboard "El Sol" when they were surprised by another boat with three aboard who took the fish they had caught and their boat. "We came upon three men in a boat and they asked us if we could give them fuel, but we refused to give them help," he said. He added that suddenly they were threatened with a weapon and ordered to jump into the water, so he jumped into the water and swam. Soon he came upon Captain Ángel Ceferino García, with whom he swam for awhile, but later he got a cramp and sank. "I heard some shots and do not know what happened to the other man," said Lopez. Following these statements, the National Police and SINAPROC conducted a search but did not find the other two bodies. When Lisandro made it to shore he asked the people in the area to give him food because he was exhausted. (Source: Dia a Dia)
The son of the representative of San Felipe, Mario Kennedy, is again involved a criminal act. A group of foreigners who were in Panama filming a documentary were the victims of a robbery and they accuse Kennedy of a second robbery. According to the version of the tourists, Kennedy offered them help you recover their items which had been stolen (laptop computers and recording equipment) with the condition that they pay him $150 dollars for each object. The victims gave $400 dollars to Kennedy who disappeared with the money. By continuing to investigate, the tourists discovered that the person who robbed them was the son of the Representative of San Felipe, because they had taken pictures of him. One of the foreigners said Kennedy even threatened to kill him in front of several police officers, who took no action. The group of tourists are in the country filming a documentary "Chupacabra Hunters". (Source: Telemetro)



Now that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by former Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega returned to Panama, his lawyer Julio Berrio, said the decision raises the possibility of asking the US Secretary of State to return him to Panama. The lawyer says the ultimate decision to extradite Noriega to France will be made the the Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. According to Berrio one of the points in Noriega's favor is that he is about to turn 75 years-old. The Extradition Treaty establishes that human rights must prevail. (Source: Panama America)
He was found near the entrance of the road leading to the Miraflores Locks. A police patrol that was passing down Avenida Omar Torrijos, in the district of Ancon, near the entrance of the Miraflores Locks, found a body by the side of the road. It was 40 year-old Juan Pablo Perez Osorio, of Colombian nationality. The body bore signs of having been tortured, had a bullet hole in the head, and there were tire marks on the body. (Source: La Critica)

Three people have been arrested in relation to the alleged kidnapping attempt against Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, and apparently they have already been charged. Assistant Prosecutor Luis Martínez is heading the investigation in the case, as confirmed by Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez. Gomez explained that since president Ricardo Martinelli is involved in the case, then the profile of the investigation is immediately raised, and she said that she understands that charges have already been formulated against the detainees. Gomez said the public should know that the Public Ministry is doing its job and the public will be informed as the investigation develops. (Source: Kathyria Caicedo for Telemetro)
Panama's Attorney General, Ana Matilde Gomez, said today that in the case of the threat to the safety of President Ricardo Martinelli, (everyone) should wait until advances are made in the investigation being carried out by the Assistant Prosecutor, before making any statements on the case. Gomez declined to proved any additional details on the investigation, but she said charges have been filed against three individuals involved in the act denounced by President Martinelli, two members of the Institutional Protection System (SPI) and a foreigner. Gomez said the type of crime committed will determine the process, and not the fact that the person concerned is the President. "It will depend on what is achieved in the investigations. Let's wait. I can not speculate. Let's allow the Public Ministry to do its job and everything that is learned will be reported," said Gomez. This morning Panama's Minister of Trade and Industry said the two agents of the SPI, who have already confessed, said they were contacted by a Puerto Rican, who apparently was organizing a kidnapping in which the victim was to be president Martinelli. (Source: ABDIEL AUGUSTO PATINO for La Estrella)
After five hours of deliberation a jury found Rogelios "Juana Peña" Ramos and Jorge Morgan guilty of attempted murder for the death of SUNTRACS worker Osvaldo Lorenzo. Ramos was acquitted of the "actual fact" (meaning, the prosecutor did not prove he actually pulled the trigger.) Miguel Ibarra, another defendant, was convicted of masterminding the murder. The other two defendants in the case, Gustavo Santimateo and Julio Coronado, who were only facing the charge of murder, were acquitted. Members of the Single National Union of Construction Industry Workers (SUNTRACS) said they are satisfied with the jury's verdict. The judge in the case, Secundino Mendieta, now has up to thirty days to sentence the men, who could face up to eight years in prison. (Source: Panama America)
After 24 hours without details and just a brief official statement from the government, this morning Panama's Minister of Commerce and Industry Minister, Roberto Henriquez, revealed authorities have in fact uncovered a plan to kidnap the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli. Henríquez explained that two agents of the Institutional Protection System confessed to having participated in the planning to kidnap Martinelli. He said the officers were "apparently approached and penetrated by a foreigner from Puerto Rico who wanted to attempt to kidnap the President." Henriquez explained on the TVN channel 2 morning news broadcast that probably after kidnapping Martinelli they wanted to "transfer him physically to an unofficial group." "But the investigations continue and they have not concluded, and therefore there may be more ramifications," he added. Henríquez said information he has until the moment allows him to ensure that the information which has appeared in the press about the plan "is completely true." (Source: Manuel Vega Loo for La Prensa)
The questions continue. Ricardo Martinelli visited the offices of the Direction of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) last night, and the reason for this visit has become a mystery. Although the authorities have said little, informal reports indicate that three officers from the Institutional Protection System (SPI) are under investigation, allegedly for being involved in some type of activity that could endanger the life of President Martinelli. For his part, Panama's Anti Corruption Czar Fernando Núñez Fábrega said this could be related in some way to the theft of two computers from the offices of the National Council of Transparency Against Corruption (CNTCC). (Source: TVN Noticias)
Proceeds from the sale of property owned by David Murcia Guzman, of DMG, will be used to repay his victims here in Panama. This information was provided by the Fourteenth Circuit Prosecutor, William Parodi, yesterday Friday during a press conference. His office is investigating DMG and the corporations that are linked to the Colombian company for the alleged illegal collection of money. The "pyramid" scandal broke in November 2008. According to research Panamanian victims lost about $3.6 million dollars. The firms clients invested large sums of money in return for supposed payouts of up to 130%. (Source: La Critica)
They are reliving a sad time. Anel Omar Rodríguez Jr. follows closely every move made in the reconstruction of the death of this father, Anel Omar Rodríguez, who served as the Director of the National Institute of Culture (INAC). Rodriguez was killed on 10 March 2009 when he unexpectedly found himself in the middle of a shootout between criminals and the security guards of an armored car. In that incident Samuel Monroy, one of the security guards of the armored car, also died. The reconstruction, which was watched by the relatives of the victims an curious bystanders, started at 8:00 am yesterday morning. The four people implicated in this case were there, in a Public Ministry vehicle, guarded by National Police officers. It was not until midday when Leoncio Hernandez, one of those accused in the crime, handcuffed and with shackled feet, gave his version of how the incident occurred. Today the other three detainees will give their versions. Also detained in this case are Mario Esteban Herrera, Roberto Jaramillo and Euris Zeballos. (Source: Carolina Sánchez P. for DIAaDIA)

By DON WINNER for 

Mi Diario - Four more people were found executed - One in La Huaca de Sorá, in Chame, one in Veraguas and two more on the road that goes towards from Madden towards Chilibre. The first body was found in the middle of a pasture in the area of La Pastrana, in Santiago. There was found in an advanced state of decomposition the body of a 17 year-old, last name Cáceres, who was recently involved in a car theft case in the town of Ocu in the province of Herrera. In that case he was held in the community of El Uvito de Santiago and he had just been released 22 days ago. Meanwhile, the residents of Sorá were alarmed by the discovery of the body of a man who was apparently executed - who was wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a ditch next to the road. Police determined the body belongs to Angelo Vito McBarnatte, 24 years old, who had his identification card in his pocket. They were also able to determine that he lived in the area of Las Acacias in Panama. Investigators are working to determine if this person was actually in the area together with other people who currently are being sought by law enforcement. According to José Chin, a prosecutor in Chame, the victim had a bullet wound to the chest and he left behind an 8 month old baby. He also said they would have to wait for the results of the autopsy to determine the cause of death. In the capital of Panama City, at about 5:15 pm the bodies of Raúl Miranda and Víctor Rivera, 17 and 16 years old respectively, were found in an advanced state of decomposition about 500 meters from the exit to Chilibre along the Northern Corridor in the district of Panama. Both were wearing only underwear, had tape over their mouths, and one had his hands tied with a zip-strip. The bodies were found by children who were cutting sugar cane in the area, and they were alerted by the smell. At first they only saw one body, but when the police arrived they found the other one about 40 meters away. The two boys, who were neighbors, lived in the area of El Valle de San Isidro and they have been missing since 9 December, according to family members who arrived on the scene to identify the bodies. (Editor's Comment: I remember when this kind of thing never happened in Panama, and that was only a few years ago. Now, it's becoming more and more common, mostly due to drug trafficking.)
By DON WINNER for
By DON WINNER for
La Estrella - PANAMA. The Customs Authority yesterday seized five containers in the port of Balboa (reverted area) from China, which were full of counterfeit merchandise and whose destination was Central America. Possible connections to Panamanian companies are being investigated. Last night customs officials still had to inspect the contents of four additional containers. (Editor's Comment: Another of Panama's "open secrets" - many of the companies in Panama that have contracts to be the local distributor of large name brands often fly to China to talk directly to the managers of the factories that are cranking out millions of shirts or shoes or watches or whatever. They agree to report a percentage of the merchandise to the parent company that holds the brand, and then produce and sell on the side larger amounts of "counterfeit" merchandise. In these cases the products are made in the exact same factories and by the same standards as the "original" or "authorized" products - the only difference is that those items are not reported to the brand owners. In short, the Panamanian middlemen in the Colon Free Zone and the factor owners in China are collaborating in collusion to rip off the brand owner. It happens all the time. That's why you can find so much "name brand" merchandise for sale at deep discount prices in stores in Panama, especially in places like Calidonia and the more popular stores - they try to keep the cheap crap out of places like Multicentro where the clients can afford to pay full price. Industry spends millions of dollars every year to fight counterfeiting, which actually costs them billions. Panama is ground zero for this kind of activity.)
