High Court cannot rule on senator’s prosecution

Santo Domingo.- The Supreme Court’s 2nd Chamber on Wednesday said it has no jurisdiction to rule on Justice minister Francisco Dominguez’s request to revoke the Anti-Corruption Department’s (DPCA) motion which halted the prosecution on charges of corruption against ruling PLD party senator Felix Bautista.

The Chamber ruled to refer Dominguez’s request to Chief justice Mariano German, to proceed in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code.

The ruling handed down by the justices Miriam German Brito, Esther Agelán, Alejandro Moscoso, Frank Soto and Juan Reyes notes that Bautista is a senator for which he has privileged jurisdiction.

The Justice Minister’s request has unleashed a political and legal row, in which Bautista’s attorney Abel Rodriguez del Orbe called the move a political ploy, while Governmental Ethics director and Dominguez’s longtime rival, Marino Vinicio Castillo called it a “selective measure.”

On September 27 Dominguez asked the Supreme Court to allow the prosecution and investigation to continue, rule to determine whether the allegations against Bautista merit an indictment.