A peaceful protest was held on Monday afternoon by a group of citizens in front of the facilities of the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents and the Family (Senniaf).
The demonstration, in which members of various civil society groups participated, is held in response to complaints of abuse and mistreatment of minors in shelters, in response to which they demand that the authorities carry out investigations and apply maximum penalties for those responsible.
The Ombudsman's Office reported that Human Rights officials from the entity appeared at the scene to monitor the peaceful protest.
It is worth mentioning that a report from a subcommission of the National Assembly revealed that dozens of minors were sexually abused and violently mistreated physically and psychologically by their caregivers during the last four years in at least 12 shelters in Panama financed and supervised by the State.
Faced with this situation, the Commission for Women, Children, Youth and the Family of the National Assembly filed a complaint on Monday and presented this report to the Public Ministry; In addition, the Public Ministry initiated an ex officio investigation.
On the other hand, the National Assembly approved to summon the heads of Mides and
Senniaf, María Castillo and Mayra Silvera, as well as former directors Idalia Martínez, Yazmín Cárdenas and Sara Rodríguez; and to former deputy director Carla García, to answer questions on the management of shelters.