The project seeking to punish paternity fraud has taken a step forward in the Assembly. It is noted that the measure aims to establish a clear mechanism to prevent conflicts and ensure transparency in paternity cases. One of the central points is that the DNA test will be mandatory when the judge deems it necessary. Deputy Janine Prado pointed out that in the second discussion, it will be key to review the guarantees for children, taking into account that in Panama, many families are single-parent. The commissioners also decided to eliminate article 9 of bill 510, which provided for aggravating circumstances to increase the penalty depending on the number of affected parties. There, it is expected to hear the opinion of the Judicial Branch, especially a family court, to review the impact that the norm could have on the rights of the minors involved. Deputy Jairo Salazar, proponent of the initiative, explained that the intention is not to attack women or cause family breakdowns. With 8 votes in favor, the Government, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Commission approved the initiative in its first debate, classifying this act as a criminal offense. The proposal establishes that whoever forces a man to recognize as his own a minor who is not biologically his could face up to 5 years in prison or a commutable penalty of up to 500 fine-days. The document will now go to the full legislature for its second debate. The cost of the genetic test must be borne by whoever requests the test, although the money could be recovered depending on the result. According to the project, if it is proven that there is no biological link, the mother would have to reimburse the money spent on the genetic test to the father who requested it.
