The first step for Hernani Salazar, the current director of the Presidential Office of Public Works Supervising Engineers, to obtain legal immunity has been taken. Salazar was a high profile activist for reelection of President Hipolito Mejia and the PPH faction of the PRD. Hoy newspaper reports that Julio (Machacho) Gonzalez resigned from his post as senator for the province of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), and Salazar is widely expected to be the candidate to replace him. Senator Gonzalez, who alleged his resignation was tendered for health reasons, had held his senatorial seat for three consecutive terms. He will vacate his office effective 16 August, the start date of the incoming PLD government. Recently, the press reported that Salazar was actively campaigning in San Francisco de Macoris for the post. The Constitution establishes that when vacancies arise in either of the two legislative bodies – the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies ? the corresponding body must select three candidates from the outgoing senator?s political party, of which one is appointed through an internal vote.
Another senator, Marcial Valera (El Seibo-PRD), similarly gave his notice in June, also to become effective 16 August. His post would ostensibly be left to engineer Roberto Rodriguez, who was elected to the Senate in May 2002 but opted to take the post as director of the National Institute of Aqueducts (INAPA) instead. While Valera is willing to give up his position, he has conditioned it on the Executive Branch?s delivery of the second full vehicle import-tax exoneration, which is due to all senators during their four-year terms.
The Dominican Constitution grants privileged legal status to legislators, as it exempts them from being tried in the regular court system and grants them a hearing in the Supreme Court of Justice instead. The Supreme Court and its magistrates have been notably slow with cases of corruption in public office. One case pending against ex-Dominican consul in Haiti, Radhames Ramos Garcia, who is charged with illegally trafficking Chinese citizens, has been stalled in the Supreme Court system for months, despite the abundance of evidence against him.