Civic groups and anti-corruption protestors were set to march on Panama’s Supreme Court, on Tuesday, Aug 14 to demand the resignation of the acting Supreme Court president Herman De Leon.

The spontaneous move followed a bombshell video message from  Panama’s Attorney General  Kenia Porcell reporting a conversation with De Leon in which he said he had been wiretapped during the previous administration and that copies of the recording were in Panama, the US, and Italy.

According to Porcell he confirmed being a victim of extortion and that the case against  former president Ricardo Martinelli by the phone jabs "is going to fall." He also revealed that the number of people subjected to  illegal interceptions was not 150, but 5,000

The former president of the National Bar Association (CNA), Juan Carlos Araúz, said that the statement adds "more doubts to the questionable image of the highest judicial body.”.

Rock bottom justice
The independent deputy and  candidate for the Presidency  Ana Matilde Gómez said  that the country  "has hit rock bottom." Gomez, who was Panama’s first woman Attorney General was herself a victim of a Supreme Court cabal led by a Martinelli appointee which forced her out of office, to be later replaced by  Jose Ayu Prado, who in quick-fire moves by Martinelli became a Supreme Court judge and later its president.

After he had announced last November, that he would seek re-election he made a surprise announcement and resigned from the post, without giving reasons.

Law Professor Miguel Antonio Bernal said that for no one is it a secret that there is corruption in the Court, but  “She should know that this is not the procedural way to act. What is behind these statements, a clear intention to try to decapitate several magistrates or to tamper with a trial that started badly”

For his part, the Panamenista  deputy, José Antonio Domínguez, said that if “ these magistrates must be called to trial and prosecuted for acts of corruption.”

In his Twitter account, businessman and activist  Aurelio Barría said that "serious and delicate statements of Attorney Kenia Porcell seems to show pressures and interests between magistrates, this is shameful, No more! On the street!”. [story developing].