Police Mayor Pistol Whipped Three Civilians (Over Practically Nothing)

A Major in the National Police was denounced for alleged police abuse after an altercation that occurred last Friday at the "On The Run" gas station on Via Argentina, during which the police officer drew his weapon. Katherine Moreno explained on the morning edition the channel 13 Telemetro Report, that the Major of the National Police, Waldemar Herrera, beat her husband Julio Camelo, who is a Corporal in the National Air Service (SENAN). Camelo ended up with 16 stitches in his head, his wife Moreno needed ten stitches, while her brother needed three. She said the person who hit them was the National Police officer.

According to Katherine Moreno, they were in a black Mazda when the police officer arrived and parked next to them. At that time Katherine opened the door and she hit Herrera's car, a Suzuki Grand Vitara. She immediately apologized.

This allegedly caused the woman who was with the police officer to start shouting insults. The woman then went back to the Major's car, pulled out a gun, and fired a round into the air. At that moment Police Officer Herrera separated from his partner, and hit the three of them in the head with the butt of his gun. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: This entire incident was probably caught on videotape. If that guy lost control and pistol-whipped three people because a woman accidentally hit is car with the door of her car, he should be fired from the National Police, stripped of all rank and pension, and thrown in prison. But - this is Panama. What's going to actually happen to this guy? Not a damn thing. There is a culture of protecting the police officers, even when they are really, really wrong and guilty. Oye - hasta cuando?