In a first, a prosecutor tries to arrest a lawmaker

SANTO DOMINGO.- For the first time in the country’s modern history a prosecutor has tried to execute an arrest warrant against a lawmaker while the legislature is in session.

National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso sent Assistant DA Julio Saba, a colonel and two agents to the Chamber of Deputies to arrest the deputy Ramon Antonio Fernandez, charged with statutory rape.

Saba arrived at the Lower Chamaber Tuesday morning just as the session was about to start, but when he asked about Fernandez’s whereabouts, was sent to the Chamber’s office of the legal adviser Rafael Ceballos, who told the Assistant DA that he didn’t have jurisdiction, because as a deputy, Fernandez has parliamentary immunity as stated in the Constitution.

Ceballos also sent a letter to Reynoso to explain that "parliamentary immunity isn’t a legislator’s personal privilege, but a prerogative of the Chamber they belong to instead."

The deputy for Santiago Rodriguez province of the opposition PRD party was indicted on statutory rape in his native town of Moncion.