House to summon officials for hearings on fraudulent vehicle inspections.

Rep. José Hernández Concepción

By THE STAR STAFF

Rep. José “Cheito” Hernández Concepción has announced that Treasury Secretary Ángel L. Pantojas Rodríguez will be summoned on April 14, along with the director of investigations and inspections in the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP by its acronym in Spanish), Arturo Deliz Vélez, Driver Services Executive Director Mary Fuster Romero and former DTOP Secretary Eileen Vélez Vega, to two separate legislative panels to answer questions on discrepancies and a failure to provide essential information on an investigation related to fraud at island vehicle inspection centers.

The lawmaker said in a radio interview the purpose of the summons is to have the secretaries confirm whether the information from inspection centers is accurate. He also wants to clarify what happened.

Hernández Concepción also announced that ahead of the April 14 hearing, on Friday, April 10, at 10 a.m., a public hearing will be held to interview eight inspection center owners about allegations that vehicle inspection centers have been approving inspections fraudulently.

Some of the allegations to clarify in the hearings, the legislator noted, are: first, that uncertified machines were used to inspect vehicles; second, that one car went in for inspection, but a different car came out; and third, that after an accident, inspection reports did not show the center’s involvement.