13 41. On July 12, 1996, the former Attorney General issued two orders wherein he gave Prosecutor Prado a permit to proceed as requested,25 and another order addressed to the Instituto Nacional de Telecomunicaciones [National Telecommunications Institute] (hereinafter “INTEL”), to tap the telephones at the Zayed family residence for a fifteen-day period.26 42. On July 16, 1996, complying with an order from the former Attorney General,27 the Departamento de Prensa y Divulgación del Ministerio Público [Prosecuting Office Press and Social Communications Department] sent a copy of the cassette recording the conversation held on July 8, 1996 between the alleged victim and Mr. Adel Zayed, along with its transcription, to the Archbishop of Panamá, Monsignor José Dimas Cedeño,28 who in turn transmitted it to the Bishop of Colón, Monsignor Carlos María Ariz Bolea.29 This last person was the one who informed Mr. Tristán Donoso about the existence of the telephone conversation recording.30 43. By mid July, 1996, already acquainted with the situation, Mr. Tristán Donoso, in the company of Bishop Ariz, went to the Office of the former Attorney General in order to clarify the situation and to receive explanations.31 However, the former Attorney General received Bishop Ariz alone, “and proceed[ed] to acquaint [him with] the contents of the cassette, pointing out […] that the matter was but a scheme made up by the alleged victim against the Ministerio Público [Office of the Public Attorneys], ”32 25 Cf. Unnumbered Official Letters dated June 12, 1996, signed by José Antonio Sossa, Procurador General de la Nación [Procurador General de la Nación [National Attorney General]] (Case File of Appendixes to the Reply to the Application, Appendix B-2, Book II, Volume 1, folios 3877 and 3880). 26 Cf. Official Letter DPG-9007-96, dated June 12, 1996, signed by José Antonio Sossa, Procurador General de la Nación [Procurador General de la Nación [National Attorney General]] (Case File of Appendixes to the Reply to the Application, Appendix B-2, Book II, Volume 1, folio 3876). 27 Official Letter PGN – SG – 047-99 dated May 24, 1999, signed by the former Attorney General in response to the set of questions sent him by the Procuraduría de la Administración [Office of the Solicitor for the Administration] supra note 21, folio 3336. 28 Cf. Unnumbered Official Letter dated July 16, 1996, signed by Dalma de Duque, supra note 21, folio 1455. 29 Cf. Testimony rendered before a public official whose acts command full faith and credit by Bishop Carlos María Ariz, supra note 16, folios 529 and 530, and Answer to the set of questions sent by the Procuraduría de la Administración [Office of the Solicitor for the Administration] to Bishop Carlos María Ariz Bolea (Case File of Appendixes to the brief on Motions, Pleadings and Evidence, Book 1, Appendix 20, folios 2530 to 2531). 30 Cf. Record of Hearing No. 32, dated July 11, 2002, held in the course of the proceedings instituted against Mr. Tristán Donoso for defamation (Case File of Appendixes to the brief on Motions, Pleadings and Evidence, Book II, Appendix 43, folio 2707). 31 Testimony rendered before a public official whose acts command full faith and credit by Bishop Carlos María Ariz, supra note 16, folio 529, and Answer to the set of questions sent by the Procuraduría de la Administración [Office of the Solicitor for the Administration] to Bishop Carlos María Ariz supra note 29, folio 2531. 32 Testimony rendered before a public official whose acts command full faith and credit by Bishop Carlos María Ariz, supra note 16, folio 529, and Answer to the set of questions sent by the Procuraduría de la Administración [Office of the Solicitor for the Administration] to Bishop Carlos María Ariz supra note 29, folio 2531.