The Senate adopted yesterday a resolution empowering its President, Ram?n Alburquerque (PRD-Monte Plata), to take legal action on its behalf against the Interior and Police Minister Ram?n Andr?s Blanco Fern?ndez. The measure was passed by 17 Senators from the Santo Domingo Accord (ASD), the coalition of PRD and allied parties who together command a majority in the Senate. Three PLD Senators walked out before the vote, calling the measure "irregular." The resolution, drafted by Senator Milton Ray Guevara (PRD-Saman?), claims that Blanco Fern?ndez violated Article 37, section 11 of the Dominican Constitution when he refused to answer a Senate summons to appear for questioning before that body on February 2nd. That Constitutional passage empowers the Congress to question public officials, although it does not clearly say those officials must obey Congressional calls to be questioned nor does it provide for sanctions if they do not. The February 2nd interrogation was called to question the Minister about his actions during the LMD standoff at the end of January. During those events senators were prevented from going to League headquarters and Senator Andr?s Batista Garc?a was shot by police.
