US embassy cable - 05PANAMA959

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 000959 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN PIERCE, G/TIP OWEN, WHA/PPC/PUCCETTI 
FALLS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2015 
TAGS: KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, ELAB, SMIG, PM, LABOR, HUMAN RIGHTS,POLMIL 
SUBJECT: PANAMA ARRESTS EIGHT DARIEN POLICE IN TIP 
CORRUPTION CASE 
 
REF: PANAMA 0608 
 
Classified By: DCM Christopher McMullen for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
1.  (C)  In a vital advance of Panama's anti-TIP agenda, in 
late March Anti-corruption Prosecutor Maribel Cornejo 
detained eight National Police (PNP) officers and one private 
citizen on charges of rape, commercial sexual exploitation, 
and corruption of minors in Darien Province.  The alleged 
victims were under-age indigenous girls.  By indicting 
several high-ranking officers, the GOP signaled that the PNP 
must respect anti-TIP norms.  The case also has focused GOP 
attention on indigenous cultural practices that may encourage 
sexual exploitation.  Attorney General Gomez, a staunch 
anti-TIP ally and human rights advocate, showed moral resolve 
and political finesse in pursuing a sensitive case (see 
reftel).  Despite and perhaps because of the potential for 
bad press, the Ministry of Government and Justice (MOGJ), 
which oversees the PNP, proactively cooperated with the 
Attorney General's office in the investigation and 
apprehension of the officers.  Embassy immediately 
congratulated the Attorney General and her office both 
publicly and privately, stressed to the MOGJ and the PNP the 
seriousness of the charges and the need for continued 
cooperation, and pushed PNP and MOGJ to pursue activities to 
prevent future abuses.  Embassy continues to provide 
substantial material and technical support to the PNP in the 
Darien and will closely monitor this key TIP case.  End 
Summary. 
 
Officers Accused of Corruption of Minors, Rape 
--------------------------------------------- - 
2.  (C)  In late March, Prosecutor Cornejo demonstrated the 
Attorney General's moral resolve in combating TIP and PNP 
corruption by ordering the detention of eight PNP officers 
and one civilian in a sensitive internal sex trafficking 
case.  (Note: The Attorney General had transferred the case 
to Prosecutor Cornejo in February from Darien Prosecutor 
Arnesia Janeth Torrero, who later received death threats 
(reftel).  End Note.) 
 
3.  (C)  Prosecutor Cornejo charged a PNP major, three 
captains, a second lieutenant, a corporal, and two unranked 
officers with committing sex crimes against some 10 
indigenous minor girls.  Cornejo told PolOff that seven of 
the eight officers committed "corruption of minors" because 
they met the girls in bars, gave them alcohol, and then had 
sex with one or more of them.  Cornejo detained the other 
officer for statutory rape because the victim was under 12 
years old.  The PNP officers are not from indigenous 
communities. 
 
4.  (C)  While Prosecutor Cornejo told PolOff she could not 
disclose the names of the accused, she did not refute the 
involvement of the following individuals identified by the 
press: Major Javier Arauz, Captain Reymundo Barroso, Captain 
Julio Aizprua, and Captain Anibal Prado. 
 
Civilian Woman Acted as Madam 
----------------------------- 
5.  (C)  Prosecutor Cornejo also charged a 24-year-old 
civilian woman for pimping.  The woman allegedly paid the 
girls to have sex with Darien teachers, police officers, and 
others.  The Attorney General's office did not charge any of 
these offenders as part of the immediate case. 
 
Indigenous Leaders' Cut? 
------------------------ 
6.  (C)  While Prosecutor Cornejo denied having evidence 
against indigenous leaders, MOGJ Minister Aleman told EmbOff 
that Darien indigenous leaders commonly offer minor girls for 
sex for $100.  Aleman said that the initial complaints in 
this case came after local indigenous leaders did not receive 
their expected pay-offs from the PNP. 
 
7.  (C)  Other Darien contacts claim indigenous families see 
minor girls as a means to generate income for the family 
through marriage or sexual encounters.  However, Prosecutor 
Cornejo denied that her case involved parents offering their 
daughters for sex. 
Full MOGJ Cooperation 
--------------------- 
8.  (C)  Prosecutor Cornejo told Embassy that the MOGJ 
cooperated fully with the Attorney General's office in the 
lead-up to the arrests.  MOGJ Minister Aleman told EmbOff 
that Attorney General Gomez initially had planned to fly to 
the Darien for high-profile arrests but called off her plans 
when MOGJ convinced her to let it pursue its own 
investigation first.  That would allow MOGJ to take a 
proactive stance against PNP corruption. 
 
9.  (SBU)  Aleman noted that he immediately sent a National 
Maritime Service (SMN) Intelligence Unit to the Darien to 
investigate.  Subsequently, the PNP's Investigations Office 
(DIIP) detained the officers and insured that they arrived at 
the Attorney General's Office to provide Cornejo with their 
initial statements on March 28.  In the end, the MOGJ was the 
first GOP agency to inform the press, issuing a press release 
on March 29.  PNP Internal Affairs (DRP) handed over its own 
case against the officers to the PNP Disciplinary Board on 
March 31. 
 
Embassy Commends Attorney General 
---------------------------------- 
10.  (SBU) Once the case became public on March 29, Embassy 
took swift action. EmbOffs personally congratulated Attorney 
General Gomez and her staff on the arrests.  Ambassador Watt 
also commended the Attorney General in a formal letter.  The 
Ambassador publicly highlighted the GOP's work in combating 
TIP at Embassy's April 7 Women's Day event, which the 
Attorney General attended. 
 
Embassy Encourages MOGJ, PNP Cooperation 
---------------------------------------- 
11.  (SBU)  In addition, EmbOffs told MOGJ Minister Aleman, 
MOGJ Secretary General Danilo Toro, Ministry of the 
Presidency Security Council Director Javier Martinez Acha, 
and PNP Subdirector Cerezo that the U.S. views the charges 
against the PNP officers as extremely serious, underscored 
the importance of the PNP's full cooperation at all stages of 
the prosecution, and offered technical and financial 
assistance in implementing prevention measures. 
 
Embassy Support for Prevention Activities 
----------------------------------------- 
12.  (SBU)  To that end, Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section 
agreed to fund a MOGJ pamphlet designed to put all PNP 
officers on notice that sexual abuse of and corruption of 
minors will be swiftly and severely punished.  The pamphlet 
will be attached to the paycheck of every PNP officer, who 
will be required to sign a statement acknowledging they 
understand the pamphlet's contents. 
 
13.  (SBU)  MOGJ Secretary General Toro also told Embassy 
that MOGJ will place notices in all PNP barracks warning that 
committing sex crimes against minors will be punished to the 
fullest extent of the law. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
14.  (C)  Thus far, the GOP has proactively pursued this 
sensitive case.  The Attorney General's Office has vigorously 
investigated and prosecuted the accused.  Similarly, the MOGJ 
and PNP leadership has supported the Attorney General's 
Office and taken steps to prevent any recurrences of PNP 
abuse.  So far, public outcry over the case has been muted, 
as the press and public seem to recognize the GOP's 
initiative.  Embassy will continue to follow up to ensure 
that GOP commitment to the case does not wane over time. 
 
MCMULLEN