The Ethics Commission of the House of Representatives notified the popular representative Orlando Aponte Rosario of a complaint from a former New Progressive candidate who accuses him of an alleged conflict of interest due to House Bill 1153, which sought to reduce the amount and years of child support.
The lawsuit, Primera Hora learned, was filed last Thursday by the former candidate of the New Progressive Party (PNP) for mayor of Villalba, Guillermo Irizarry Rodríguez. The plaintiff alleges that on January 21, 2021, Aponte Rosario had a hearing in a Family Relations room in the Bayamón Court and that same day, according to the Legislative Services Office, he filed PC 1153. The measure was defeated yesterday in the House session.
The bill sought to amend the Organic Law of the Administration for the Support of Minors in order to establish that the alimony of minors does not exceed 40 percent of the salary of the foster father or mother and would oblige young people over 18 years to justify in court to continue receiving child support until the age of 21.
The president of the Ethics Commission, Ángel Matos García said that the complaint was notified to the legislator, who has 15 days to answer and once he answers, the complaint goes to the recently constituted Citizen Panel. This will determine if the complaint becomes a complaint to continue the process.
“The Citizen Panel, already constituted, will determine if the complaint becomes a complaint,” said Matos García.
The citizen committee has representation from each of the five parties. It is chaired by Mr. Fernando L. Torres Ramírez, former judge of the Court of Appeals. It also includes a member of the College of Certified Public Accountants.
But Aponte Rosario refused to have a child support case pending and described the accusations once morest him as false and defamatory. In addition to the ethical complaint, she said that “the same group” filed a complaint with the Department of Justice.
“That is a petty attack of desperation, with malice and with the intention of defaming my person since these defeated candidates who are behind this ruse to try to lose focus, try to catch up with the good control and the good name that we have created last year for our good performance as a legislator. I have to deny any commission of a crime or having filed any measure for my personal benefit,” said Aponte Rosario.
The legislator indicated that the complaint “responds to the group of legislators defeated by the people who do not accept the mandate to make a new policy and work styles.”
“Guillermo Irizarry was defeated, I listened to him, he says that I got divorced and they assigned me a pension, which I categorically deny and I am evaluating the possibility of filing a claim for defamation in court. I have never had an alimony case, I have never had a fixed or modified or pending pension. I am married, I have children. Yes, I divorced many years ago and in that relationship I had no children, “said the legislator for district 26, which includes the towns of Villalba, Barranquitas, Orocovis and Coamo.
“It is irresponsible to assume that because a person was divorced at some point, if you work on a family project, you are automatically benefiting. I demand that you explain how this project benefits me personally, ”she claimed.
-On January 21, 2022, did you have a hearing at the Bayamón Court?
“It is false, it is defamatory, it is incorrect to say that one had a food case in those days,” said Aponte Rosario.
According to Section 14 of the Chamber’s Rules of Procedure, the Citizen Panel will carry out a preliminary analysis of the merits of the complaint and will determine if the requirements for it to become a complaint are met and initiate the corresponding investigation. The Panel’s determination must be made within a period not exceeding three (3) business days following the group was formed, although it may request an extension of two additional business days.
Once the Panel determines that the complaint should be raised to a grievance, it will inform the President of the Commission in writing, with a copy to all its members. pursuant to Section 18.1 of these Rules. It is established that the report will be confidential and if the members determine that it is not appropriate to raise the complaint to a complaint, the matter will become final and final, unless the Commission decides to reconsider this decision through the affirmative vote of an absolute majority of its members. .
