SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥� Puerto Rico senators grilled the island鈥檚 newly designated natural resources chief on Tuesday after critics rebuked into allegations of illegal construction in a protected area.
The investigation targeted alleged violators including the in-laws of Puerto Rico鈥檚 new governor, who has called it 鈥減olitical persecution.鈥�
Just hours after appointed Waldemar Quiles as natural resources secretary earlier this month, he signed the administrative order shelving the investigation.
鈥淚 have no evidence of who benefits from this,鈥� Quiles said during a hearing Tuesday.
He also said independent examining officers would determine whether the cases against alleged violators should be archived, even though the document he signed specifically orders them to archive those cases.
鈥淚t鈥檚 contradictory, what you鈥檙e proposing,鈥� said Sen. Marially Gonz谩lez, of the main opposition Popular Democratic Party.
Her colleague, Sen. Juan Dalmau, agreed. He said there was no room left for any official to take any action that isn鈥檛 shelving the investigation.
Quiles insisted under oath that he would not archive the case against the governor鈥檚 in-laws or anyone else.
The in-laws are accused of illegally cutting mangroves and expanding and remodeling a platform or dock at their home at La Parguera, a popular tourist spot that was designated a natural reserve in 1979 and is known for its bioluminescent bay.
Gonz谩lez and her in-laws 鈥� Jos茅 Vargas and Irma Llavona 鈥� have denied the accusations.
Quiles said no one ordered or asked him to sign the administrative order, which he maintains was prepared by the previous administration, denying that it was amended before he signed it.
When asked why that was the first order he signed as designated secretary, Quiles replied, 鈥淏ecause it was there.鈥�
He added that he did not consult with any local or federal agencies, and when asked if he knew of the legal opinions issued by the island鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources regarding the illegal constructions it was investigating, he responded, 鈥淭here are a lot of legal opinions.鈥�
Quiles said he would take other actions in the area including protecting its wetlands and bioluminescent bay as well as preventing overfishing.
During the three-hour hearing, one senator asked if Quiles thought it would have been 鈥減rudent鈥� to consult the governor before signing the order.
鈥淭here is no conflict of interest here,鈥� he responded. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 necessary.鈥�
The first structures were built in La Parguera around the 1960s, with fishermen living in ramshackle houses that have largely been replaced by high-end homes that environmentalists say must be removed.
Pedro Saad茅, a Puerto Rico attorney who is an expert in environmental law, said the order Quiles signed is illegal and rejected the claims he made Tuesday.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a smoke screen,鈥� Saad茅 said. 鈥淭he text is clear.鈥�
Like others, Saad茅 called for the order to be revoked.
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D谩nica Coto, The Associated Press
