Former Panama President demands witness appearance in Odebrecht case

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli demanded that Damaris Rodríguez, a witness in the Odebrecht case, be cross-examined in court. He believes that without this procedure, there is no due process or legal guarantees. Martinelli stated that despite repeated summons, Rodríguez "has no interest in attending" the trial. Lawyer Carlos Carrillo also questioned why a member of the security forces cannot be located by the authorities. Martinelli pointed out that she is neither an expert nor an accountant, but a retired police officer residing in Boquete, Chiriquí province, who receives a special pension of $4,553.20 from three promotions in less than five years. After her absence, Judge Baloisa Marquínez ordered the issuance of a new subpoena for the witness to appear on Friday, February 13, starting at 8:30 AM. Additionally, he noted that Rodríguez's assessments were used to unjustly implicate dozens of people, and her opinions were considered valid. Rodríguez, the last remaining witness in the trial, has been summoned to court three times; however, she has ignored the calls. Nevertheless, he expressed his expectation that Rodríguez will appear this Friday, as that day will mark the end of this procedure and the opening statements by the prosecution will begin, followed by the interventions of each of the defense attorneys. Martinelli also questioned that if the police does not set an example in this and other cases, what can the citizenry expect from the Public Force and justice in Panama.