The judge of guarantees of the Accusatory Criminal System of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama, Meylín Jaén agreed to the request for community work for the priest Luis Ruíz Quiroga, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison as the main sentence, as the author of the crime against freedom and sexual integrity, in the form of aggravated libidinous acts, to the detriment of a minor under 17 years of age.
This decision has caused a stir on social networks, since netizens do not look favorably on this decision endorsed by the judge, and along the same lines, the psychologist and human rights defender, Celia Moreno, echoed this news.
“It is despicable, the decision that was made is inadmissible. There are three things that we are asking for regarding sexual violence with minors: that it not be negotiated, that the sentence not be reduced and that it not be commuted,” he remarked.
Moreno stressed that pedophiles are repeat offenders and in a large percentage. “That individual is going to leave without even having integrated the notion that he has a responsibility for the lives of the minors he abused,” he added.
She specified that these crimes practically go unpunished and part of that impunity, in the opinion of the specialist, is due to the fact that the church has manipulated and coerced people to be afraid, causing the judges and prosecutors themselves to react to that.
