Tension has arisen between the Senate and the Department of Treasury in Puerto Rico over the issue of slot machines. Gregorio Matías Rosario, spokesperson for the New Progressive Party (PNP) in the Senate, warned Treasury Secretary Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez that he will take action against him for refusing to appear before the Commission on Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs, which Rosario presides over.
The commission held a hearing on Tuesday to investigate the level of debt owed by slot machine operators in the form of fines. The operators are connected to the government under a regulatory and licensing scheme, and a portion of the funds collected are supposed to support the retirement of police officers.
However, the Treasury Department has refused to provide information on the debt, citing that the commission lacks the authority to request it under Resolution 81. Rosario stated that the commission will closely monitor issues related to police officers and their retirement, and will take action against those who do not cooperate.