Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SANTOOMINGO1959
2008-12-23 17:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
RULE OF LW ROUND-UP - DEC 2008
how-toVZCZCXRO3865 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHDG #1959/02 3581757 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 231757Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO TO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2012 INFO RHEHNC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 SANTO OMINGO 001959
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE DEPARMENT FOR INL FPALMIERI, RLEVENTHAL, KBROWN,
WHA/AR VDEPIRRO, BPREMONT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGV KCOR KCRM SNAR PREL DR
SUBJECT: RULE OF LW ROUND-UP - DEC 2008
***********************
* Missing Section 001 *
***********************
SANTODOMIN 12231959 002 OF 003
inter-agency efforts to "radicate all illegal travel by air
and sea".
- Court of Accounts (Camara de Cuentas):
7. (SB) Newspapers indicate that the nine new members of he
Chamber of Accounts - the body charged with oerseeing the
use of public finances - had awarde themselves substantial
Christmas bonuses, in vilation of the Chamber's own rules.
The rules say that members, or "judges" must serve at least
three months before being eligible to receive an end-of-year
(the "13 th month salary") bonus. However, the nine members
were installed on October 9, 2008, and received holiday and
"incentive" bonuses between December 8 and 9. The previous
Camera de Cuenta members had to resign en masse in the summer
of 2008 because of a series of accusations from within the
institution itself of corruption by various members. In
addition, this previous Court of Accounts was rocked by
scandal at the beginning of its term in January 2007 when
members awarded themselves huge raises just after Congress
passed an austerity law. (They subsequently reduced their
pay in March 2007, but it is unclear if they ever returned
the extra
money they may have received between January and March.) No
one from the previous membership has been prosecuted, nor is
there any indication the new set of judges will be, although
they may have to disgorge their bonuses.
-- Bani (Paya) Massacre (ref A):
8. (SBU) In late November, the Supreme Court (SCJ) rejected a
lawsuit by former Bani police Chief Hilario Gonzalez against
Senator Wilton Guerrero because the Senator had denounced the
police chief as having worked with narco-traffickers.
Gonzalez was removed from his post after Guerrero's public
comments that various officials were facilitating the illegal
drug trade in the Paya area of Bani. While the exact role,
if any, of Gonzalez is unclear, at least a dozen Navy
officers have been detained in connection with the case,
suggesting that Guerrero's accusations of official complicity
are not without foundation. Oddly, however, it was reported
on 12/22 that the sole survivor of the Bani (or Paya)
massacre will be charged with human trafficking, not
narco-trafficking. Post is verifying this report.
-- Quirino (Asset Forfeiture) case:
9. (SBU) Word leaked on 12/22 that a deal may be in the works
whereby the family of alleged narcotics trafficker Ernesto
Quirino Paulino Castillo would be protected in return for
Quirino's cooperation. Also made public was the U.S.
decision to renounce claims on any of the USD 14.5 million in
assets seized in connection with the case. This means that
the forfeited assets will be distributed according to
Dominican law - with some 50 percent going to the DNCD
(National Drug Control Directorate) and at least 25 percent
going to non-governmental organizations involved in drug
prevention activities.
-- Baninter & Renove cases (Christmas pardons):
10. (SBU) On 12/22 President Fernandez issued pardons to a
number of persons convicted of involvement in the Baninter
financial fraud case (ref B) and the Renove corruption case.
One person pardoned is ex-Baninter Vice President Vivian
Librano de Castillo, who had been sentenced to five years in
prison and a 1.5 million DR peso fine but, for alleged health
reasons, was never put in jail. Four persons connected with
the Renove case - whose convictions were upheld by the
Supreme Court in March - were also pardoned. It is
noteworthy that the President took this action at
Christmas-time, not only because it is a supposed to be a
season of goodwill, but also because key civil society
watchdogs - such as FINJUS and Participacion Ciudadana - are
on vacation. It remains to be seen what the official
reactions of those organizations will be, but two prominent
journalists who were serving on a Pardons Commission
immediately resigned. One, Huchi Lora, claimed that those
pardoned had not appeared on a list of names t
hat they reviewed, with the Prosecutor General, just last
week.
-- Public Defenders:
11. (U) On a good note: The newspaper Hoy reported on 12/22
that since the public defender's office was formed five years
ago, it has assisted more than 76,000 indigent persons.
***********************
* Missing Section 003 *
***********************
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE DEPARMENT FOR INL FPALMIERI, RLEVENTHAL, KBROWN,
WHA/AR VDEPIRRO, BPREMONT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGV KCOR KCRM SNAR PREL DR
SUBJECT: RULE OF LW ROUND-UP - DEC 2008
***********************
* Missing Section 001 *
***********************
SANTODOMIN 12231959 002 OF 003
inter-agency efforts to "radicate all illegal travel by air
and sea".
- Court of Accounts (Camara de Cuentas):
7. (SB) Newspapers indicate that the nine new members of he
Chamber of Accounts - the body charged with oerseeing the
use of public finances - had awarde themselves substantial
Christmas bonuses, in vilation of the Chamber's own rules.
The rules say that members, or "judges" must serve at least
three months before being eligible to receive an end-of-year
(the "13 th month salary") bonus. However, the nine members
were installed on October 9, 2008, and received holiday and
"incentive" bonuses between December 8 and 9. The previous
Camera de Cuenta members had to resign en masse in the summer
of 2008 because of a series of accusations from within the
institution itself of corruption by various members. In
addition, this previous Court of Accounts was rocked by
scandal at the beginning of its term in January 2007 when
members awarded themselves huge raises just after Congress
passed an austerity law. (They subsequently reduced their
pay in March 2007, but it is unclear if they ever returned
the extra
money they may have received between January and March.) No
one from the previous membership has been prosecuted, nor is
there any indication the new set of judges will be, although
they may have to disgorge their bonuses.
-- Bani (Paya) Massacre (ref A):
8. (SBU) In late November, the Supreme Court (SCJ) rejected a
lawsuit by former Bani police Chief Hilario Gonzalez against
Senator Wilton Guerrero because the Senator had denounced the
police chief as having worked with narco-traffickers.
Gonzalez was removed from his post after Guerrero's public
comments that various officials were facilitating the illegal
drug trade in the Paya area of Bani. While the exact role,
if any, of Gonzalez is unclear, at least a dozen Navy
officers have been detained in connection with the case,
suggesting that Guerrero's accusations of official complicity
are not without foundation. Oddly, however, it was reported
on 12/22 that the sole survivor of the Bani (or Paya)
massacre will be charged with human trafficking, not
narco-trafficking. Post is verifying this report.
-- Quirino (Asset Forfeiture) case:
9. (SBU) Word leaked on 12/22 that a deal may be in the works
whereby the family of alleged narcotics trafficker Ernesto
Quirino Paulino Castillo would be protected in return for
Quirino's cooperation. Also made public was the U.S.
decision to renounce claims on any of the USD 14.5 million in
assets seized in connection with the case. This means that
the forfeited assets will be distributed according to
Dominican law - with some 50 percent going to the DNCD
(National Drug Control Directorate) and at least 25 percent
going to non-governmental organizations involved in drug
prevention activities.
-- Baninter & Renove cases (Christmas pardons):
10. (SBU) On 12/22 President Fernandez issued pardons to a
number of persons convicted of involvement in the Baninter
financial fraud case (ref B) and the Renove corruption case.
One person pardoned is ex-Baninter Vice President Vivian
Librano de Castillo, who had been sentenced to five years in
prison and a 1.5 million DR peso fine but, for alleged health
reasons, was never put in jail. Four persons connected with
the Renove case - whose convictions were upheld by the
Supreme Court in March - were also pardoned. It is
noteworthy that the President took this action at
Christmas-time, not only because it is a supposed to be a
season of goodwill, but also because key civil society
watchdogs - such as FINJUS and Participacion Ciudadana - are
on vacation. It remains to be seen what the official
reactions of those organizations will be, but two prominent
journalists who were serving on a Pardons Commission
immediately resigned. One, Huchi Lora, claimed that those
pardoned had not appeared on a list of names t
hat they reviewed, with the Prosecutor General, just last
week.
-- Public Defenders:
11. (U) On a good note: The newspaper Hoy reported on 12/22
that since the public defender's office was formed five years
ago, it has assisted more than 76,000 indigent persons.
***********************
* Missing Section 003 *
***********************