The president of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD), Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero said yesterday that the party looked the other way when a group of PRD deputies disobeyed the party order to not participate in congressional sessions until the new 16 August congress opens. But he said that congressmen continuing to attend the sessions will be expelled from the party, such as occurred with the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hector Peguero Méndez. Peguero Méndez, a re-elected deputy, has rebelled against party guidelines. On a first day after his expulsion, 26 PRD deputies defied the party order to not attend congressional sessions until the new congress opens 16 August. Yesterday, 13 PRD deputies returned to the session. There was not sufficient quorum, though, to be able to modify the chamber’s ruling and allow for a secret vote. A secret vote would increase Peguero Méndez’s chances of being re-elected president of the Chamber of Deputies, against the PRD party leadership decision that Winston Arnaud be presented by the party as candidate to president of the Chamber of Deputies. The PRD is majority in both congressional houses. With a quorum of 64 legislators of a possible 120, the Chamber of Deputies met yesterday. Among the bills passed is one that creates the Consejo Provincial de Energía of the province of Puerto Plata. Another, Law 6097, establishes obligatory retirement for physicians working in public hospitals at 65 years old.
