Tomás Altamirano Mantovani (died February 28, 2009) was a Panama

Panama

Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...

nian politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and National Assemby

National Assembly of Panama

The National Assembly , formerly the Legislative Assembly , is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Panama.It is a unicameral legislature, currently made up of 71 members, who serve five-year terms...

 deputy. He was considered a prominent member of Panama's ruling political party, the Democratic Revolutionary Party

Democratic Revolutionary Party

The Democratic Revolutionary Party is a Panamanian political party. It was founded in 1979 by the General Omar Torrijos, and is generally described as a party of the centre-left of the political spectrum.-History and creation:...

.

Altamirano was the son of former Panamanian Vice President

Vice President of Panama

Vice President of Panama is the second highest political position in Panama. Position of only one Vice President will be filled since 2009. Previously, there were positions of First Vice President and Second Vice President, also known as first designate to presidency and second designate...

 Tomas Altamirano Duque. He served as the head of the National Assembly of Panama's Canal Affairs Commission.

Tomás Altamirano was killed on February 28, 2009, when a vehicle in which he was a passenger overturned on a Panamanian highway. He was 49 years old. Altamirano's bodyguard

Bodyguard

A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...

 and another passenger were hospitalized in the accident.

Panamanian President Martin Torrijos

Martín Torrijos

Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino is a Panamanian politician and the former President of the Republic of Panama.Torrijos was elected President on May 2, 2004...

, and Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro

Samuel Lewis Navarro

Samuel Lewis Navarro was the First Vice President and Foreign Minister of Panama. He served in these posts from 1 September 2004 to 1 July 2009 during the administration of President Martín Torrijos....

 were flown to the scene of the accident by helicoptor. Torrijos was described as "visibly upset."