Senator María de Lourdes Santiago said Family Department Secretary Suzanne Roig will have to answer for matters involving contracts, travel and the possible use of federal funds when she appears before the Senate. In an interview on the program Primer Round on Magic 97.3 FM, Santiago questioned in particular the insistence on hiring services that, according to documents discussed during the conversation, could represent a duplication of functions.
Among the items mentioned is a $300,000 contract for six months, whose necessity was reportedly questioned internally within the Family Department itself. Santiago said the doubts are not limited to whether certain contracts were ultimately signed or whether payments were made. In her view, it must be clarified whether there was pressure to push the contracts forward and who gave the instructions for those processes to advance.
The interview also discussed allegations contained in a sworn statement by former ADSEF administrator Blanca Medina Díaz. Santiago said another issue to be examined involves travel and federal funds. She questioned whether certain expenses were contemplated in the state plan required to use those funds, and said documents exist that would show how some of those trips were requested and processed.
It was also stated that documentation related to the controversy was delivered to Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz and later published by the Senate. Santiago said additional information remains to be examined to determine the scope of the actions under investigation. She said she will seek specific answers on the contracts, the travel and the administrative decisions that have drawn questions inside and outside the department.