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Physician Correctional president blasts Vargas Vidot, others after Justice Dept. determination

Writer's picture: The San Juan Daily StarThe San Juan Daily Star


Physician Correctional President Raúl Villalobos

By The Star Staff


Physician Correctional President Raúl Villalobos lashed out Sunday against Sen. José Vargas Vidot, UtiCorp and the former president of the Bar Association, Manuel Quilinchini, following the Department of Justice’s determination that the company and/or its employees did not commit crimes in the process of granting convicted murderer Hermes Ávila Vázquez an early release from prison.


Villalobos also announced that he will provide assistance to the doctors who will go before the Licensing Board.


Physician Correctional is under contract with the island Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide medical services to inmates.


“I regret that Senator José Vargas Vidot used his position to seek the political spotlight, and not to seek the truth,” Villalobos said in a written statement. “The abuse of power, defamation, manipulation and lies could not prevail. Above the particular interests of Senator Vargas Vidot and Mr. Manuel Quilinchini, the truth prevailed.”


Villalobos said that during the public hearing process to study possible amendments to Law 25, “Vargas Vidot made severe criticisms of Physician Correctional and the doctors who serve under the company, without having evidence or data to support his comments.”


He added that he “will support the doctors during the process that remains to be concluded, because we studied the files responsibly, not superficially as UtiCorp did, and we are confident that their evaluation was adequate,” Villalobos said. “The results of their internal investigation, and that of the Department of Justice, only strengthen the mission of providing responsible health care, always guided by ethical principles.”


The Department of Justice referred the doctors who evaluated Ávila Vázquez’s case to the Puerto Rico Medical Licensing and Disciplinary Board because it believes they failed to comply with the provisions of Regulation 7818. Villalobos said prosecutors lack the clinical knowledge to reach that conclusion.


“We are confident that the doctors will prevail in any forum,” he said. “I have no doubt that they acted according to the standards of the medical profession, and in compliance with all legal provisions. On the other hand, we must understand that Justice lacks the clinical staff to evaluate whether the doctors acted in accordance with established standards. The referral does not surprise us, nor do I think that it should worry the referred doctors.”


Ávila Vázquez, 53, confessed to killing his partner Ivette Joan Meléndez Vega, 56, earlier this year and dumping her body in Manatí. He had been granted early release last year on medical grounds. It was found that Ávila Vázquez, who was serving time for a 2005 murder conviction, had faked paralysis in order to gain the early release under a program for inmates with terminal conditions.


Since then, the Corrections and Rehabilitation Department has been the target of criticism for allowing his release.


In August, Ávila Vázquez was sentenced to 102 years behind bars for the stabbing death of Meléndez Vega in April.

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Oct 22, 2024

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