Ex-mayor said delaying bribe trial

TOP ANTI-CORRUPTION prosecutor, Ruth Morcillo   has accused Panama’s former mayor Bosco Vallarino of dilatory practices  in attempting to delay his trial for allegedly taking bribes while in office.

The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, Sep. 19 but  Vallarino  arrived with a new lawyer and a request for a postponement

The new lawyer who will handle the case is Héctor Bonilla, replacing Margarita Córdoba.

Vallarino is accused of allegedly receiving a $6,000 bribe of $6,000 from the Brazilian businessman Alexandre Ventura Nogueira, in order to facilitate a contract for the construction of the underground parking lot in Belisario Porras park.

Vallarino admitted the bribe  during an interview on TVN on February 26, 2015, which led to the prosecutor's Office initiating an  investigation.

Morcillo - who in her fiscal opinion recommended the

Vallarino and Ventura Nogueira - said that Tuesday’s moves  were evidence of strategies to delay the case.

"Can an accused fail to present a brief, and request requesting postponement of the hearing date when yesterday the previous lawyer submits a request for prescription of the criminal action. … Logic indicates delaying strategies” said Morcillo.

During his time in office Vallarino blundered from crisis to crisis until  Panamenista Deputy Jose Isobel  Blandon became his volunteer front man. Ex-president Ricardo Martinelli  hand-picked a successor, to Vallarino but she was defeated n the 2014  election by Blandon