Luis Gonzalez Fabra, press spokesman for the Presidency, said yesterday that former President Leonel Fernandez and 15 government officers were “invited” and not compelled to drop by the Department for the Prevention of Corruption (Depreco) for questioning. Orlando Gil, political analyst for El Siglo newspaper, says the statement comes like cool water on the tense political arena. He points out that the PLD has blamed members of the PRD party for politically persecuting former government officers. Gil says this is just as well. “While the tirade is between the parties, leaving out the government, there is no danger, only entertainment,” he writes. Meanwhile, Attorney General Virgilio Bello Rosa said his office will now send formal citations to the former government officers. He also said the former administrative secretary of the Presidency Simon Lizardo, former technical secretary of the Presidency Temistocles Montas, former Civil Aviation Board director Jose Castillo Peña, former general controller Haivanjoe Ng Cortiñas and former Minister of Public Works Diandino Peña have been legally barred from leaving the country.
