Ponce interim mayor stands by suspended Irizarry Pabón
By The Star Staff
Ponce’s interim mayor, Marlese Cifre, said Thursday that suspended Mayor Luis Manuel Irizarry Pabón did not ask her for money; however, she acknowledged that he has given “contributions” to the Popular Democratic Party.
She also said she would stand by the mayor.
“Would you put your hands in the fire for the mayor?” asked a reporter.
“Yes.” she responded.
“Is he innocent?” the reporter asked. “Yes he is,” Cifre replied.
“At any given time before authorities reached Human Resources, were you as a civil servant on the record with Human Resources?” she was asked.
“I’m not taking up space, I’m assuming the responsibility of directing this town with the responsibilities that that entails and that we all need to be together, that if we have done well until yesterday, we will do better, because our city deserves it,” Cifre said.
She denied that she had given money to the mayor.
“The Mayor of Ponce never, not as a mayor, not as a candidate, not as a doctor, not as a friend, never ever, asked me for any money,” she said. “Absolutely nothing.”