By The Star Staff
Citizen Victory Movement Rep. Mariana Nogales Molinelli on Tuesday described as a “farce” the alleged filing of criminal charges against her by the Special Independent Prosecutor Panel (PFEI by its Spanish initials) for omission of information in her financial statements.
“Sometimes it is necessary for an unfair process to occur to unmask the institutions that no longer serve us,” Nogales Molinelli said at a press conference. “The Office of the Special Independent Prosecutor [Panel] is preparing to perpetrate a farce. A hoax it made almost a year ago, a hoax requested by Thomas Rivera Schatz, Gregorio Matías and [the] Government Ethics [Office]. I am quite sure that it is a hoax. Many want my head and also feel frightened by the strength of our movement and intimidated by its integrity.”
“When I filed my self-referral, they couldn’t believe it. There was not even a procedure,” she added. “But I needed to correct an error in my report and unlike 38 other legislators who were able to amend it, I was not allowed to.”
PFEI President Nydia Cotto Vives confirmed to the press that Nogales Molinelli will face criminal charges for allegedly omitting information in a financial report she filed with the Government Ethics Office about her positions in several corporations.
Prosecutor Ramón Mendoza Rosario will lead the filing of charges on May 3, she said.
Although the specific charges the lawmaker would face were not specified, perjury and other infractions have been alleged.
The investigation against Nogales Molinelli began as a result of three complaints received by the Justice Department from the aforementioned senators and the director of the Office of Management and Budget related to the entity Ocean Front Villas Corp. and the legislator’s role in it.
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