Santo Domingo. - The Dominican Alliance Against Corruption (ADOCCO) asked president Leonel Fernandez on Monday to order the National Budget Office to halt the payments to the Senate, which it affirms the senators get millions of pesos monthly, to spend on politicking.

ADOCCO coordinator Julio Cesar Tiburcio said the handout of taxpayers’ money to the legislators violates the Democratic Charter of the Americas, which he affirms stipulates fair and transparent elections in Member States. “The fact a senator receives public funds through the barrilito (little barrel) and from the Electoral Board through their parties gives them an advantage against their competitors, which is unfair competition, sponsored irregularly by the President of the Senate.”

“The barrilito money must be returned to the Treasury so it can be used in social works, such as the fight against drug addiction and crime prevention,” he said.

To follow up on how the senators use those funds, ADOCCO asked the senators to tell the citizens how they use the money, and filed 32 requests to as many senators, via the Free Access to Public Information Law 200-04, which provides a period of 15 days for compliance.