Ex-Puerto Rico governor wins another court victory

Ex-Puerto Rico governor wins another court victory
Published on February 24, 2007

By John Marino

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters): A Puerto Rican judge on Thursday ruled there was insufficient evidence for criminal charges against former governor, Pedro Rossello, who was accused of falsifying documents to obtain a higher government pension. The decision by San Juan Administrative Judge Isabel Llompart ends a bid by the current administration of Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila to charge Rossello with falsification of documents, illegal appropriation of public funds and taking advantage of his public position.

Rossello, head of the opposition and pro-statehood New Progressive Party and also a senator, has maintained his innocence. He described the attempt to charge him as "political prosecution" by the current administration and Popular Democratic Party, which favors the commonwealth status of the US Caribbean territory. In December, a municipal judge also found insufficient evidence to charge Rossello but prosecutors had appealed the case.

Rossello, who lost to Acevedo Vila by 3,500 votes in the November 2004 election, served two terms as governor from 1993 through 2000. Upon leaving office in January 2001, he applied for a pension based on 30 years of public service, worth $52,000 annually. A subsequent investigation by the Government Retirement System found that the governor was nine months shy of 30 years so only qualified for a $29,500 annual pension. His pension was reduced and he was ordered to pay back about $80,000.

Justice Secretary Roberto Sanchez Ramos called Thursday's decision "inexplicable," and said it would have been different if someone without power and access to media had been on trial. "This sends the wrong message to Puerto Ricans," said Sanchez Ramos.