PANAMA CITY – Panama on Wednesday asked Interpol to “speed up” at least 34 requests for alerts regarding corruption sent to it by the Public Ministry so that the Panamanian judiciary “can give a response” in the assorted legal procedures under way.“The Panamanian Public Ministry has requested more than 129 alert requests, of which 34 have to do with corruption. We, taking advantage of this international forum, are asking that those procedures be speeded up,” said Panamanian Attorney General Kenia Porcell at the inauguration of Interpol’s 13th Americas Regional Conference.

The Interpol notifications are international alerts that help security forces of member countries to identify, locate, arrest and extradite citizens wanted by the judiciaries of other countries.

“It’s necessary for Panama to be able to respond to the criminal investigation with basic measures linked to the procedure in question, but to do that it’s important that those called upon to respond be brought to Panama to have their rights protected,” said Porcell at the same international forum, which will run until Friday in the Panamanian capital attended by police officials from 46 countries.

The alert requests sent by the Panamanian AG’s Office to the international police do not include one for the arrest and extradition of former President Ricardo Martinelli, who governed Panama from 2009-2014, concerning an illegal wiretapping case, given that the case falls under the jurisdiction of Panama’s Supreme Court, the AG said.

“We’re bringing up the cases of common crimes by other types of officials,” Porcell told reporters.

Being a lawmaker in the Central American Parliament, Panama’s Supreme Court is the only institution that may investigate and judge Martinelli, who for several months has been living in the United States and has at least five other pending cases against him, in addition to the wiretapping case.