By The Star Staff
Sen. Gregorio Matías Rosario filed a measure Wednesday that seeks to classify “kickbacks” as a crime at the state level.
The legislation as introduced seeks to amend the Penal Code of Puerto Rico in order to classify the “kickback” within the crime of bribery.
According to the bill’s preamble, the “kickback” has gained notoriety, since, on repeated occasions, public officials have kept cash receipts asking their subordinates to pay a certain amount from the salary they earn in public service for the benefit of the official who requested the illegal payment.
“We don’t have to wait for the federal authorities to investigate some complaints in order to attack corruption in Puerto Rico,” Matías Rosario said. “We need to have dynamic legislation that is aimed at ending the ills that affect our society and so that we have the tools at the state level to combat government corruption.”
“I am sure that each of my fellow legislators in the Senate and in the House have a firm commitment to fighting corruption, so this must be a measure with a unanimous vote to move immediately to the governor’s signature,” he added.