Illegal wiretapping widespread in Panama

(Panama-Guide) Illegal wiretapping and interception of telephone calls in Panama is widespread according to records in the Office of Administration .

This, says Panama America, confirms what union leaders, journalists and some politicians have been claiming: "I am being tapped." Jorge Abrego, former security chief of the Office of Administration, said his former boss Oscar Ceville ordered him to wire tap employees.

“ He at the time, verbally ordered me to do wiretaps and to enter the computers of officers who were loyal to Alma Montenegro de Fletcher.”Abrego admitted having "threatened" to Ceville to quit and to bring to light all the recordings and the evidence I had of the dirty things that, as attorney, told me to do."

On Tuesday, August 3, Ceville filed a complaint with the Attorney General in which he accused his former security chief of extortion. Abrego said he will come "voluntarily" to testify, Constitutional lawyer Miguel Antonio Bernal, says the practice of wiretapping is done with the pretext of pursuing certain crimes, but in reality enables officials like the attorney Oscar Ceville engaged in tapping, to make a direct interference in the private lives of a number of officials.

He recalled that the Government appointed Judge José Abel Almengor, who at the time defended the wiretaps in writing.

In 2007, when he was a drug prosecutor, the man who is now a Supreme Court judge, appoinbted directly by President Ricardo Martinelli wrote a book which recognizes that the constitutional reforms of 2004 established a "legal vacuum" on wire taps.

The book was entitled: "The technique of wiretapping investigation." According to Bernal, the "tappings in this country have become a party," because there is no control or procedure.

"The irony is that the prosecutor pursued separately, Ana Matilde Gomez, (suspended Attorney General)for something she did not do. She did not decide to tap the phone of former prosecutor Archimedes Sáez, (being investigated for demanding bribes). She did at the request of the victim of extortion, "he said.

Equipment to listen in to conversations is widely available in the local market.

A telecommunications expert, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that this activity is not regulated.

He said that many companies provide services to spy,on family residences and employees in private companies.

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Original Source: http://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/1518-illegal-wiretapping-widespread-in-panama.html
Date Retrieved: August 5, 2010.