PDP senators sue Justice Dept. for withholding public integrity case files

Popular Democratic Party Senate Minority Leader Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, foreground, and PDP Sen. Josian Santiago Rivera

By THE STAR STAFF

The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) delegation in the Senate filed a lawsuit on Monday asking the San Juan Superior Court to compel Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres to release information on cases closed or archived by the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity and Comptroller Affairs Division.

The announcement was made during a morning press conference led by Senate Minority Leader Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, who said the Senate had exercised its legislative authority on May 4 when it submitted information request 2026‑0063 seeking a full list of archived cases and copies of all related closure orders.

Hernández Ortiz argued that the Justice Department’s refusal to comply represents a direct challenge to the Legislature’s constitutional oversight powers. He emphasized that requesting information from an executive agency is a standard component of legislative work, not political pressure, as Justice officials have suggested.

Deputy Minority Leader Sen. Marially González Huertas noted that the issue gained prominence after the PDP delegation began investigating the case of Family Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes. During that process, senators learned of Administrative Order 2026‑09, which created a mechanism allowing the Public Integrity Division to close or archive cases after two years. The division is responsible for investigating allegations of government corruption, electoral violations, ethics breaches and other offenses involving public officials.

Sen. Josian Santiago Rivera criticized the Justice Department for publicly stating it would not “yield to political pressure,” calling the statement a mischaracterization of the Legislature’s role. He noted that the Senate unanimously approved the information request and that lawmakers have a recognized duty to investigate, oversee government operations, debate matters of public interest, and keep the public informed.

Former Senate President José Luis Dalmau Santiago added that after the Justice Department failed to respond, the Senate approved a unanimous motion on May 19 giving the agency 48 hours to comply. The motion stated that failure to do so would result in legal action to defend the Senate’s institutional prerogatives and those of its members.

The legal action is based on Article 34‑A of the Political Code, which establishes a special procedure for compelling agencies to provide information requested by the Legislature. The Senate has used the mechanism in previous disputes, including a recent case involving the Treasury Department. Courts have also ordered commonwealth agencies such as Natural and Environmental Resources, Education, and Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as private grid operator LUMA Energy, to turn over documents in similar circumstances. In one notable case during the previous four‑year term, a court ordered the corrections secretary not only to produce documents requested by independent Sen. José Vargas Vidot, but also to appear before the Senate.