The Political Committee of the PLD announced the formation of a legal team to defend former officers of the PLD from corruption acts accusations by the present government. The lawyers will begin working on cases against Luis Inchaustegui, director of the Programa de Empleo Mínimo Eventual y Acción Barrial who is accused of using state funds for means other than allotted. Charges have also been placed against Germán Peña Guaba, former director of the Oficina Técnica de Transporte Terrestre. Peña Guaba was in charge of the distribution of 1,000 of the so-called "pollito" yellow cabs, that supposedly were distributed to persons of political influence. Charges have also been made against former director of the Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios de Autobuses (OMSA), Ignacio Ditren. Secretary General of the PLD Jose Tomas Perez said that the PLD defense team is made up by Cesar Pina Toribio, Lidio Cadet, Monchy Fadul, Franklin Almeyda and Artagnan Pérez Mendez. Former presidential candidate Danilo Medina has also come forth, after months of silence. Medina has spoken up in defense of the party. Orlando Gil, political analyst for El Siglo, comments that the government has unknowingly done the PLD a favor. The party had been confronting serious internal division problems, and the PRD accusations have had the effect of unifying the party men for a common cause. Former President Leonel Fernández is still seen as the man to beat in the 2004 presidential election, and thus the PRD would like to discredit his past administration.
