“I am 100% innocent and I will prove it in court!” is the bold statement quoted in Diario Libre’s “?Vaya perla!” section. These are the words of Radhames “Chino” Ramos Garcia, the PRD deputy for La Vega, who, in his capacity as Dominican Consul in the northern Haitian city of Cap Haitien, allegedly directed a lucrative smuggling operation involving illegal Asian immigrants. The Asians were using the DR as an intermediate stop prior to traveling on to their final destination, the United States. The elusive Ramos Garcia appeared before the Supreme Court yesterday and was ordered to return on 30 October, along with accused accomplices Chen Ngow Chai and Ng Con Seng, who are in police custody and have been denied bail. The upcoming legal session will determine the identities of the defense and prosecution lawyers and a trial is due to start on 3 December, thus allowing all parties time to assemble witnesses and notify the accused. Ramos Garcia has not been taken into custody and has said that he will not relinquish his legal immunity status.