The Panamanian deputy, Elías Vigil, challenged the attorney general in charge Javier Caraballo, the prosecutor Emeldo Márquez, and the judge who sent his sister Teresina Vigil back to prison to present “a single piece of evidence” against her relative.
“I challenge both the prosecutor (Javier Caraballo) and the prosecutor Emeldo (Márquez) who is handling the case, the prosecutor who is handling the case, the judge who determined my sister’s precautionary measure again, I challenge him from this seat, I challenge the prosecutor of the Republic of Panama to present a single piece of evidence against my sister to be able to have her as she is today,” said Vigil during the period of incidents in the plenary session of the National Assembly this Wednesday.
The deputy of the 8-10 circuit also accused the media of not giving him a reply because of “certain slanders that the Vigil Pérez family is suffering.”
For its part, the Attorney General’s Office stated this Thursday, through a statement, that it regretted the accusations made by Vigil, against the Public Ministry and the administration of justice.
“In a democratic State of law, in all cases submitted to ordinary justice, the only natural forum for discussing the facts and presenting arguments and evidence related to a criminal proceeding, is constituted by the Courts of Justice,” said the Attorney.
Teresina Vigil, sister of the Panameñista deputy Elías Vigil, was returned to a cell on February 7, after the Superior Court of Appeals revoked the house arrest measure that had been imposed on her.
Vigil is being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime for allegedly belonging to the criminal group HP (Humility and Purity), led by Carlos Roberto Aguilar, alias Robert, dismantled at the end of last November as part of the Damasco operation.
Regarding Operation Damascus, the Attorney General’s Office reported that all the arrests arranged have been subjected to the corresponding judicial controls before the guarantee judges.
He added that in all cases the administration of justice has ensured respect for the rights and guarantees of the fundamental rights of the persons arrested, including the right to defense.
