Things did not go as planned by the president of the Chamber of Deputies. Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District) was not able to push through the Penal Code that the bicameral committee had approved. Pacheco had been confident he would get the required two-thirds vote to pass the bill and send it on to the President for enactment. The bill had already passed in the Senate, and it had already passed in the Chamber of Deputies before the earlier summer session had expired. In apparent frustration, Pacheco said he would not deal again with the Penal Code.
During the floor discussions, after the reading of the 419 articles, deputy Jose Horacio Rodriguez had protested that military courts for military crimes was included, that a 20-year expiration of government corruption crimes had been added, and the exclusion of the three grounds for abortion, among other issues. Critics said the new Penal Code as approved in the Senate and sent to the Chamber of Deputies for approval was more backward than the previous Penal Code.
During the Thursday, 16 December 2021 session, nevertheless, the deputies protested 21 amendments that had been made were rejected by the floor. The legislators rejected clauses where sexual orientation, the right of parents to correct their children, and the inequality of a prison sentences for a man who kills a woman, among others. On countless times, as president of the Chamber of Deputies, Pacheco rapped his gavel to call to order in the grueling session that went on for some five hours.
In spite of repeated warnings from Pacheco that sufficient votes were needed and that the report of the bicameral had been submitted twice, the result in the first vote was 88 votes in favor and 47 against of the 149 present. Congressman Mateo Espaillat asked for a recount of the votes. The recount resulted in 86 saying yes and 55 saying no. Seven deputies present in the session abstained from voting.
In his indignation, Pacheco exclaimed: “Let them go back and prepare another one, I will not deal with the Penal Code in the Dominican Republic, ever!
He remarked that the ultra-left had joined with the ultra-right, to impede the passing. He said he would go home because he had done everything possible to pass the Penal Code.
The Penal Code now expires and will need to be presented again to the floor in the legislative session that opens on 27 February 2022.
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Hoy
17 December 2021