PANAMA’S Supreme Court Chief Justice José Ayú Prado,  reputedly has never turned down an invitation that involves an overseas trip.

Now he has defended  his latest jaunt this time to the Vatican.

[caption id="attachment_63983" align="alignleft" width="300"] A La Prensa cartoonist's comment on Ayu Prado's latest trip. The man holding on to the tail is Judge Harry Diaz[/caption]

He went on a trip lasting some 10 days  to participate in a justice forum coordinated by the Organization of American States (OAS), among others, reports La Prensa.

"It was a legal forum. In addition, the trip is justified because the OAS invited me," he said.

The trip was questioned by Judge Harry Díaz, who said it "did not represent any benefit to the administration of justice."

Ayú Prado has been criticized for his frequent trips abroad, with hefty per diem allowances.

Meanwhile  as he has led the  judiciary in claiming  a shortage of funds in implementing the accusatory penal system.

Cash shortage
The chief justice has also traveled recently to Spain and to other countries around the world, while there is an ever growing backlog of cases in the court system

Auditors from the Comptroller General are reviewing the court's 2015 budget for travel and per diem expenses.