By The Star Staff
Carolina District Sen. Marissa “Marissita” Jiménez Santoni warned Trujillo Alto Mayor Pedro Rodríguez González on Thursday not to get involved in the investigation of alleged sexual harassment that has been initiated against him.
“Some time ago the headlines in the press were that the former mayor of the municipality, José Luis Cruz, was involved in a corruption scandal and that he would be arrested, which, finally, would happen …” the New Progressive Party senator said. “Now, the news has to do with the new incumbent being accused of sexual harassment by a policewoman … The mayor, sadly, has not been in charge of the municipal seat for a year.”
“We demand that Rodríguez González keep his hands out of the investigation that has begun against him and that a reliable official carry it out,” she said. “… Here the most important thing is to ensure the propriety of the process to avoid the distrust of all the constituents.”
“That he himself has given instructions to his legal and human resources team [where the alleged victim went, according to the press, without obtaining any reaction], to investigate the facts, may very well raise hundreds of red flags,” Jiménez Santoni said
A policewoman, belonging to the municipal police, alleged that since 2022 she has been the victim of harassment by the mayor. She also filed an official complaint against the Trujillo Alto police commissioner.
The municipal police officer filed the complaint, on Wednesday, May 3, with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and, as part of that filing, made a series of very delicate and serious complaints against Rodríguez González, who, as detailed, had allegedly made a series of approaches of a very compromising sexual nature.
Additionally, she stressed that her supervisor has made comments and insinuations about her to other people.
“Men should know that when a woman says ‘no,’ it’s ‘no,’ period. … Sexual harassment is extremely shameful,” the senator said. “If you are a woman and feel that you are being sexually harassed, do not remain silent. … Dare to put an end to such a cowardly act, wherever it comes from.”
Meanwhile, the island Justice Department confirmed Thursday that it has launched an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Rodríguez González and other Trujillo Alto municipal officials.
“We confirm that the Justice Department’s Division of Public Integrity and Comptroller’s Affairs has launched an investigation,” Justice Secretary Domingo Emanuelli Hernández said at a press conference.