Report finds inadequate record-keeping, responses to abuse complaints in Panama

An international research group found that the Archdiocese of Panama needs new procedures to prevent and respond to abuse incidents. The Transparency Commission released its assessment on Tuesday, following a request last year from Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta to evaluate how the local Church managed abuse complaints over the last 25 years.

The commission recommended that the archdiocese improve how it listens to victims, maintains records, and provides reparation. It also suggested establishing clear codes of conduct. To reach these conclusions, the group of experts reviewed archdiocesan archives, conducted interviews, collected testimonies, and examined media reports.

The commission identified 37 complaints of sexual abuse received by the Archdiocese of Panama between 2001 and 2025. Of those, the group examined 24 complaints, noting that the remaining cases fell outside the archdiocese's jurisdiction, occurred outside the specified timeframe, or did not involve minors or vulnerable persons.

The Transparency Commission is an independent group funded by Notre Dame Law School and the Universidad Villanueva Foundation in Spain. It consists of more than a dozen experts from eight countries specializing in fields such as canon law, theology, sociology, and accountability. This assessment served as a pilot project for the commission, which intends to conduct similar evaluations in other dioceses.