The former director of immigration under Manuel Antonio Noriega, charged with selling passports and visas, left the Vatican Embassy on Wednesday and gave up to U.S. troops, an embassy official said. Former director Belgica de Castillo and her husband, Carlos Castillo, left the nunciature of their own accord, said the Rev. Joseph Spiteri. Still inside is Capt. Eliezer Gaytan, chief of Noriega's personal security force. The Castillos sought refuge shortly after U.S. troops invaded on Dec. 20. Deposed dictator Noriega himself holed up in the embassy from Dec. 24 to Jan. 3 before turning himself over to U.S. soldiers. Spiteri said a U.S. military vehicle picked up the Castillos and took them to a U.S. base. Panama's new government said Monday that eight former immigration officials, including Mrs. Castillo, were being charged with corruption for selling visas and passports. Attorney General Rogelio Cruz announced Wednesday that a private law firm had filed a complaint against Manuel Solis Palma, who served as acting president for six months in 1988, but was never recognized by the United States, which considered him a Noriega puppet. The complaint accusing Solis Palma of ``usurping public functions and committing crimes against political liberties'' was being investigated, Cruz said. He said Solis Palma, now a private citizen in Panama, asked for a guarantee he would not be arrested if he agreed to meet with authorities for questioning. Solis Palma replaced President Eric Arturo Delvalle after Delvalle tried to fire Noriega in February 1988 and was acting president until Sept. 1, 1988. New U.S. Ambassador Deane R. Hinton presented his credentials to President Guillermo Endara on Wednesday and said U.S.-Panamanian relations were ``perfect'' following Noriega's ouster. ``I see no problems now,'' Hinton said, speaking to reporters in Spanish after meeting Endara. ``We will support and work with the democratic government of Panama.'' John Grant McDonald, the new British ambassador, also presented his credentials but made no statement. Panamanians continued to pick over the remains of the building in downtown Panama City where Noriega had his military headquarters, toting away everything from furniture to track lighting and pornography. The building, heavily damaged by fighting in the invasion, will be demolished on Thursday, Housing Minister Raul Figueroa said. Foreign Minister Julio Linares said Panamanians linked to Noriega have taken refuge in the embassies of Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Cuba and the Vatican. All but the Bolivian mission are surrounded by U.S. troops. Cruz said two of the 12 Panamanians who sought refuge in the Peruvian Embassy were suspects in the killing of Maj. Moises Giroldi, who led an unsuccessful coup attempt against Noriega on Oct. 3. He did not identify the two but said the Foreign Ministry would tell Peru ``they are not being persecuted politically'' and so could not be given asylum. Noriega's family is in the Cuban Embassy. Linares said Panama is considering their request for safe-conduct to the Dominican Republic but must first decide whether they can be charged with any offenses.
