Julion Romero. Photo Chamber of Deputies.
Santo Domingo.- Chamber of Deputies president Julio Cesar Valentin today said the Ethics Commission can reprimand or even expel the deputy Julio Romero, who admitted having had sexual relations with a 16 year-old minor, since 75 percent of the lawmakers would have to vote to impeach him.
He lamented that Romero hasn’t assumed the paternity of his son he had with the now 18 year-old, who accused him of seducing her. “The Chamber of Deputies is already evaluating the case. The case should now be taken to court to judge and to the Ethics Commission to evaluate the situation, and if it must, apply a penalty.”
Valentin called the scandal “unfortunate and disagreeable” and Romero’s conduct “little prudent” with his evasive answers to the press. “If something like this happens to me I would submit my resignation. If the fault is verified there would be a sanction from a reprimand to an expulsion through impeachment.”
Interviewed in the program Despertador, the lawmaker added that the mechanisms to punish those who commit serious offenses must be strengthened.
Written by: molloy, 14 Oct 2009 10:58 AM
From: United States
This is sad. He should be impeached and then thrown in jail. What's even sadder is I have a friend who works for him and does nothing but priase him. Look at him now, a disgrace.
Written by: Gringo_1, 14 Oct 2009 11:36 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Maimon (Bonao)
Wouldn't this be against the law in any other country?
Written by: xwill7, 14 Oct 2009 11:45 AM
From: United States, Chicago
you see this all the time in DR. A viejo pansu in a jipeta with a young 16 year old. No one does anything about it
Written by: bernies, 14 Oct 2009 11:52 AM
From: United States, key west fl
Just the fact that he had sex with a sixteen year old is enough to put him behind bars. Unless the girl lie about her age, this sort of thing happens a lot.
Written by: xwill7, 14 Oct 2009 11:56 AM
From: United States, Chicago
yes, alot of girls look like they are 21 and they are 16. Estan buena but you have to watch out. There is no way to tell, she can show you a fake ID
Written by: molloy, 14 Oct 2009 12:03 PM
From: United States
@ gringo....yes it is.
@xwill7.. couldn't agree with you more. these viejo pansu in their jipeta come along, see these vulnerable 15 16 yr old girls and prey on them. They promise them the world and wind up going along for the ride. i wouldn't put past some, not all, but some of the mothers encouraging it as a way to get their young daughters out of the barrio.
Written by: bernies, 14 Oct 2009 12:25 PM
From: United States, key west fl
I know of someone that was going out with a girl age 20 and her friend that is only 16 and had already lived with a man as his wife wanted her to find a boyfriend for her too. so this could also be case here that this girl may had already lived with a guy twice her age and she was may have been now fishing for the big fish to catch. Who better than a politician.
Written by: synapse, 14 Oct 2009 12:26 PM
From: United States
Isn't this the national past time for married men in the DR? The younger they are the better the trophy and even better when they are related to you! Why is everyone so shocked? There are not enough jail cells to handle all the guilty. Amongst the impoverished women it is becoming more increasingly rare to find a women whose first sexual experience wasn't rape by someone twice her age. I say shame on the whole country for turning a blind eye on the crimes that are committed daily and blamed on the young women for acting seductively --to cover for the pedophiles.
From: United States
This situation is rediculous! this man should be in jail no questions asked, if it was in the United States he would not even be able to see daylight again. Also this girl's parents should be put in jail because I'm pretty sure they sold her for money as a plan and now that the money plan has gone down the drain they are claiming RAPE!! These are the end of times everyone in this situation should go to HELL except for the innocent child!!!
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Bernies & Xwill,
I see your point about young "proletariat" girls possibly lying about their age to these predatory "pansu", priviledged "inner party" members.
Fact is that it doesn't excuse the statutory crime, and the burden of proof in on the perpetrator. He reasoned with the wrong head, violated the law and now must pay.
Inexcusable behavior, plain and simple, particulalry from an individual in a position of leadership and distinction.
We, as a nation, must do a better job at protecting our children and future.
From: United States, New York City
What is the legal age of consent in DR anyway???
Written by: Juango, 14 Oct 2009 12:52 PM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
Another fine, upstanding example of the successful Dominican male. The country must be proud of Julio Romero and the other supposedly fellow lawmakers who have the same black marks. This is the problem with a Banana Republic ! You can dress them up, but you cannot take them anywhere. Didn't LF have an alledged son in Barahona, that he never claimed ? This is the example the DR projects to the world, similar to what is seen in today's poorest African nations. Carry on Men, there are many to conquer! God bless all those little girls, for without them, many DR males would not feel masculine...Sad indeed, as there is no outcry from the public !
From: United States, Rock Hills, North Carolina
Isn't 16 the age of consent in the DR. I was in the DR for my 16th birthday and let's just say that after my birthday party I wan't a little girl anymore...But don't tell my dad.
On a serious note, any pair-up where one of the partners is youger than half the age of the other plus 7 years is gross and should be banned.
From: United States
OMG. This is disgusting.
Where the f… is that empty suit LF. “Zero Tolerance” BS.
Is this president tolerant of this type of action? Does he approve of this?
From: United States, Rock Hills, North Carolina
The government of Nigeria has implicated the late Gen. Sani Abacha and his family in a wholesale looting of Nigeria's coffers. According to post-Abacha governmental sources, some $3 or $4 billion USD in foreign assets have been traced to Abacha, his family and their representatives, $2.1 billion of which the Nigerian government tentatively came to an agreement with the Abacha family to return, with the quid pro quo being that the Abachas would be allowed to keep the rest of the money.
Although this proposal caused a massive outcry at the time for seeming to reward the theft of public funds, it was subsequently rejected by the late dictator's son, Mohammed Abacha, who continues to maintain that all the assets in question were legitimately acquired.
Can this be what is happening in the DR right now?
Written by: xwill7, 14 Oct 2009 2:33 PM
From: United States, Chicago
some of those teenage girls are out of control as well. Not all are innocent, they are at parties all night sleeping around. Trying to get $$$ or a viaje to USA or EURO. I feel sorry for some but not all
Written by: BASTA, 14 Oct 2009 4:20 PM
From: Dominican Republic, = Ghetto-SPM-Barrio Blanco
pedophiles = Dominican republic = you start at 8 year olds here - 16 is old
Is this president tolerant of this type of action? for sure, this is out of his league = he's gay
From: United States
He looks like a child molester....send him to a U.S. prison so he can be somebody's beeeyatch
From: United States, The Lake of Fire
omg this is such a shock for such an integral system.
From: United States
VERY TYPICAL.. maybe he didn't pay the girl off, to keep quiet.. Like the other congress men in the country.. ... He just can't keep his hands off the itty , bitty tiities..
From: United States
VERY TYPICAL.. maybe he didn't pay the girl off, to keep quiet.. Like the other congress men in the country.. ... He just can't keep his hands off the itty , bitty tiities..
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
It is indeed appalling how some contributors above have minimized the stigma of statutory rape, particularly when perpetrated by a public official.
This is precisely the reason why this type of crime is perpetrated unimpeded across the generations. The age difference alone, without taking into account the power and the financial illusions, puts the youngster at great disadvantage.
Please, don't insinuate that she asked for it or deserved it, or lied about her age. In DR, age never comes into question, because these are privileged individuals who know how to work the system and get away with anything. The girl probably never had a chance to walk away from the situation from the minute this predator laid eyes on her, and she was doomed. Now, with a child conceived, her life has irrevocably been changed and, it is fair to say, not for the better.
Let's do something to reverse this vicious cycle and prevent our children from falling prey to these despicable predators.
From: Dominican Republic
Pa'la Victoria!!!!!!!! I have a couple of friends there that are waiting for him. Oh, they don't praise him, they will love him!
From: United States
this is nothing if this would of happen in the united states , it would of been a 13 year old boy getting molested
From: Dominican Republic
Hey Hellborn25, you can't compare one's country issues with another. We all have our own problems and our problems are bigger than everybody's, for the simple fact that it's our problem. Young girls having babies is a problem for both USA and Dom. Rep. the fact that we don't have the resources that USA has makes it a Bigger problem for us. So, please do your research before you make that type of comments.
From: United States
hey my comment are on point, the reason i said that statement above is because the united astates, is a sick country that has alot more pedophiles than dominican republic. this country has websites where you could watch children get molested on videos. sorry architecto if my comments bother you im not comparing one countrys issue with the other. but is really sad that a country so advanced like the united states has so many mentally ill sick perverted people living here.
From: Dominican Republic
a website is a place assessed from any place in the world with internet...those videos are not filmed in USA...they are filmed in places like Dominican Rep. so, with that said who's problem is it? American just watch the videos... that is a sick thing to do, but we make them, an action that has no name.
Written by: xwill7, 16 Oct 2009 10:31 AM
From: United States, Chicago
his pee pee was too little for a real woman
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@xwill7.. couldn't agree with you more. these viejo pansu in their jipeta come along, see these vulnerable 15 16 yr old girls and prey on them. They promise them the world and wind up going along for the ride. i wouldn't put past some, not all, but some of the mothers encouraging it as a way to get their young daughters out of the barrio.
Isn't this the national past time for married men in the DR? The younger they are the better the trophy and even better when they are related to you! Why is everyone so shocked? There are not enough jail cells to handle all the guilty. Amongst the impoverished women it is becoming more increasingly rare to find a women whose first sexual experience wasn't rape by someone twice her age. I say shame on the whole country for turning a blind eye on the crimes that are committed daily and blamed on the young women for acting seductively --to cover for the pedophiles.
I see your point about young "proletariat" girls possibly lying about their age to these predatory "pansu", priviledged "inner party" members.
Fact is that it doesn't excuse the statutory crime, and the burden of proof in on the perpetrator. He reasoned with the wrong head, violated the law and now must pay.
Inexcusable behavior, plain and simple, particulalry from an individual in a position of leadership and distinction.
We, as a nation, must do a better job at protecting our children and future.
On a serious note, any pair-up where one of the partners is youger than half the age of the other plus 7 years is gross and should be banned.
OMG. This is disgusting.
Where the f… is that empty suit LF. “Zero Tolerance” BS.
Is this president tolerant of this type of action? Does he approve of this?
Although this proposal caused a massive outcry at the time for seeming to reward the theft of public funds, it was subsequently rejected by the late dictator's son, Mohammed Abacha, who continues to maintain that all the assets in question were legitimately acquired.
Can this be what is happening in the DR right now?
Is this president tolerant of this type of action? for sure, this is out of his league = he's gay
This is precisely the reason why this type of crime is perpetrated unimpeded across the generations. The age difference alone, without taking into account the power and the financial illusions, puts the youngster at great disadvantage.
Please, don't insinuate that she asked for it or deserved it, or lied about her age. In DR, age never comes into question, because these are privileged individuals who know how to work the system and get away with anything. The girl probably never had a chance to walk away from the situation from the minute this predator laid eyes on her, and she was doomed. Now, with a child conceived, her life has irrevocably been changed and, it is fair to say, not for the better.
Let's do something to reverse this vicious cycle and prevent our children from falling prey to these despicable predators.