by James “JB” Bryson These stories do and will continue to dominate the PON.com site, as until we as both true Panamanians as well as the ex-pats that now call this country home, see a decrease in the massive amounts of “pay to play” incidents that occur in a country …

The deputies Manuel Cohen (Herrera) and Dana Castañeda (Coclé) accumulate the greater amount of money exchanged in cash or deposited in private banks of funds coming from their circuits (2009-2014), according to an audit of the Comptroller General of the Republic to the communal boards. For this, the deputies used …

by James “JB” Bryson I am quite fascinated with the whole scenario around the multiple yearlong detention, subsequent firing of his attorneys, and the pending return of former president and polarizing figure of Ricardo Martinelli. I have always been of the opinion that Varela has been opportunistic, and tries so …

Assuming that the dismissals of Ricardo Martinelli’s attorneys have been presented in the United States to the Court of Appeals of Atlanta, this entity must accept the waiver of the habeas corpus appeal, and the waiver of the opposition to the appeal of the bail filed by the federal prosecutors …

Former President Ricardo Martinelli “voluntarily” withdrew his appeals to US courts to facilitate his extradition to Panama from Miami , where he has been detained since June 12, 2017. This is stated in the motion that his lawyer John Byrne presented late last afternoon before the Federal Court of Appeals …

Without a visible bank refinancing certification, Riccardo Francolini – who was benefited yesterday with a bail of $ 100 thousand in the Financial Pacific case – paid a loan of $ 8.5 million in 9 months . The money was requested on loan to buy a ” Plug & Grind …

Former President Ricardo Martinelli , who has been detained in Miami since June 12, has decided not to obstruct the process of his extradition to Panama. The bail hearing for Martinelli will be on July 19 in Miami Decision to grant bail to Martinelli, temporarily suspended ‘There are reasons to …

The seventh anticorruption prosecutor, Leyda Sáenz, ordered yesterday the preventive detention of merchant Riccardo Francolini for alleged anomalies in transactions made through the Jal Offshore company in the Financial Pacific (FP) brokerage house. Francolini, who is being investigated for allegedly committing the crime of money laundering, was transferred to the …

The Second Special Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime announced on Tuesday May 22 that performs nine search proceedings, nine conductions and the respective investigations of ten accused, who have been charged with the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering , as part of the investigation that seeks to …

A case that occupied the front pages of the media six years ago, the embezzlement to the stock house Financial Pacific, culminated with the phase of allegations that were heard in a preliminary hearing held on Friday in order to determine the responsibility of each of the accused. Judge Johann …

by James “JB” Bryson Good morning PNO.com visitors. I would hope all had a pleasant weekend. If you checked in last week, I mentioned how a friend and fellow ex pat of mine named “Buddy” made the trek from Panama City to Bocas del Toro this past weekend.  Taking every …

The Twelfth Criminal Court denied a request to lift the precautionary measures imposed on a beach house valued at $ 400 thousand, owned by Adolfo Chichi De Obarrio , former private secretary of former President Ricardo Martinelli. Adolfo ‘Chichi’ De Obarrio bought gold bullion for $ 759 thousand They ask …

Between last July and April of this year, the day on which the legislative period ended, 63 of the 71 deputies of the National Assembly made use of paid leave to be absent from plenary sessions. Although a good number of deputies qualified their deputies, there were cases in which …

An Argentine court confirmed this Thursday, May 17, the prosecution without pre-trial detention of former president and senator Carlos Menem , 87, as alleged mastermind of the explosion of a military factory that left seven dead in 1995. The crime for which Menem is accused – as well as the …

The Attorney General of the Administration, Rigoberto González , said on Thursday, May 17 that the National Assembly should be an open-door institution and willing to receive the Comptroller’s Office to carry out the corresponding audits, since it is a “high institution” and the of greater reference “in the example …

The Seventh Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office summoned Riccardo Francolini , at 9:00 a.m. today, to make an inquiry statement as part of the investigation into the transfers of money made by Jal Offshore Ltd., through an account of investment I had in the defunct stock house Financial Pacific (FP) . In …

A judge in El Salvador decided Wednesday to send former President Elías Antonio Saca (2004-2009) and six collaborators to trial, to answer for the deviation of 301 million dollars during his administration, the Prosecutor’s Office said. “The Fourth Court of Instruction of San Salvador sends to trial former President Elías …

An Amparo of Constitutional Guarantees against the Minister of Security, Alexis Betancourt, presented the Association of Retirees of the National Police in the Supreme Court of Justice. “The protection of guarantees states that the Ministry of Security violates due process and effective judicial protection by refusing to give due process …

by James “JB” Bryson I find the story surrounding the possible return of President Martinelli quite fascinating. It plays out like a Shakespearean play right before your eyes. All of the vitriol and self righteous rhetoric coming from Varela, whom all know to be a shill of Martinelli for many, …

A claim of unconstitutionality against some sentences of article 193 of the single text of the Electoral Code , referring to pre-election public financing for the 2019 general elections, was presented to the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) . The lawyer Roberto Ruiz Diaz filed the appeal after considering that …

The General Comptroller of the Republic notified this Tuesday, May 15, the president of the National Assembly (AN) , Yanibel Ábrego , who will proceed to carry out a “forensic audit” to form 080 , which contains the contracts of the personnel that works for the deputies, and that since …

The Attorney General of the Administration, Rigoberto González, asked the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice to declare him precluded from hearing the civil lawsuits against the State, filed by hundreds of people affected by the massive poisoning with medication contaminated with diethylene glycol. At least 323 lawsuits …

The Brazilian police today dismantled a network of international traffic of narcotics in which participated at least one investigated in the operation Lava Jato, which investigates the vast corruption scandal uncovered in the state oil company Petrobras, informed official sources today. About 90 agents of the Federal Police served eight …

INTERVIEW In the call to reform the Constitution there are untouchable issues, such as social issues and the title of the Panama Canal, for example. In the opinion of the former judge of the Electoral Tribunal, it is important that the choice of the persons who will draft this new Constitution …

The Commission of State for Justice begins today the second stage of interviews to the aspirants to the position of magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). After interviewing, last week, the first ten candidates for the post, from today until this Friday, May 18, the second group of …

The businessman from Chihuahua, Juan Alexis Rodríguez Sáez, arrived at the Public Prosecutor’s Office to tell other facts that he suddenly remembered while reviewing the social media. All this in the corruption scheme in which allegedly handled bribes for $ 40 million. Rodríguez Sáez, manager of Constructora Rodsa, SA had been …

The legislative initiative that establishes the medicinal use of cannabis or marijuana is ready for the second debate in the National Assembly If approved, the ministries of Education, Health and Commerce will be responsible for the surveillance, control and regulation functions; There will be a period of 90 days to …

Trader Nidal Waked returned to Panama yesterday, two years and six days after being arrested in Colombia, at the request of the United States, where he finally pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money. Yasser Williams , Waked’s lawyer in Panama, confirmed the return of his client, although in the …

On Wednesday, May 2, prison sentences against people who commit a crime of animal abuse begin to apply . This was recalled by the organizations Spay Panama, Angels of Animals, Foundation San Francisco de Asis and Patas y Pies, and a group of independent rescuers  who celebrate this validity. People …

Producers must have local citizenship or proven residence in the country and will be subject to controls by the Government Zimbabwe legalized the production of cannabis for medical or scientific purposes as long as it has an official license, the state newspaper The Herald reported today. The news was announced …