Senator says Housing secretary has much to explain

Puerto Rico Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña

Sworn statement shows Pérez Peña owned vehicle inspection center in Yabucoa until end of last year

By THE STAR STAFF

Senate Ethics Committee Chairman Juan Oscar Morales Rodríguez on Wednesday said Housing Secretary Ciary Pérez Peña has much to explain.

Morales’ comments followed a sworn statement revealing that Pérez Peña owned the Yabucoa Auto Service vehicle inspection center until Dec. 4, 2025. On that date, she transferred ownership to her father, Noel Pérez Martínez, who is now listed as the business’ president. The revelation conflicts with Pérez Peña’s previous claims of having no involvement with the business since 2017.

Morales highlighted the inconsistency in a radio interview.

“It is important for Secretary Pérez Peña to clarify why the sworn statement shows her as the owner, despite her previous public statements distancing herself from the business since 2017,” he said. “Although she may appear as the company’s president in official documents, she claims to have had no operational or administrative role.”

The New Progressive Party senator urged the Housing Secretary to be transparent about the Yabucoa Auto Service case, noting that her recent sworn statement does not match earlier explanations.

Pérez Peña has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has refused to resign from her position, insisting in a separate radio interview on Wednesday that “I have not committed any illegal act. I am doing a great job.”

“There is no reason for me to resign from my position,” she added during the interview on WKAQ 580AM.

The controversy intensified earlier this month when it was revealed that the Yabucoa inspection center, registered in Pérez Peña’s name, had allegedly issued fraudulent car inspections. The scandal triggered a referral to the island Justice Department, citing administrative violations and operational irregularities. Legislators from the Popular Democratic Party filed the complaint, further fueling public debate over ethics and transparency in government.

Pérez Peña maintains her innocence, stating that, while the Yabucoa Auto Service is a family business, she has not been involved in its management or operations since February 2017. She emphasized that the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) sent official communications to those managing the center, not to her personally. She characterized the alleged violations as technical issues common to many Puerto Rico inspection centers, describing the accusations as “incorrect and selective.”

A separate media investigation revealed that a 2024 audit uncovered 1,900 allegedly fraudulent inspections and irregular sales of vehicle license plates at the Yabucoa center. Although Pérez Peña was not managing the business at the time, she remained the legal owner, leading to a $25,000 fine -- of which she has reportedly paid $5,000.