Supreme Court judge Esther Agelan Casasnovas has ordered the reversal of the decision to archive the investigation into Senator Felix Bautista’s alleged misappropriation of funds, saying that the investigation must proceed.
Her decision followed an objection lodged by the President of the National Lawyers Convergence (Cona), Junior Ramirez Ferreiras against the decision by the National Director of the Persecution of Administrative Corruption, (DPCA), Hotoniel Bonilla, who ordered the investigation to be archived on 13 August, just three days before the start of the Danilo Medina government.
Felix Bautista is known as one of the closest aides of former President Leonel Fernandez. The investigation mainly looks into irregularities in management of construction projects he directed when he served as head of the Supervisory Office for Public Works of the Presidency.
Agelan Casasnovas said that the case would use probative methods, something that was not practiced by the DPCA and said there would also be statements from people who had never been interviewed, as reported in El Dia.