Dominican Republic prosecutor to treat arsonists ‘like vulgar thugs’

Santo Domingo.- Justice minister Francisco Dominguez on Thursday announced that two men will be incarcerate for causing forest fires, and warned that all arsonists “will be treated like vulgar thugs.”

He said Mario Troncoso Castillo and Francisco Antonio Lachapell have been arrested in connection with the blazes that charred hundreds of hectares in the central highland town of Constanza.

Dominguez added that 14 warrants were issued for the arrest of an unspecified number of arson suspects in the blazes at Restauracion (northwest), Monte Plata (east) and Bani (south). “We’re going to treat all those who set fires to forests as vulgar thugs.”

He said all those including Haitians, who cause forest fires and to make charcoal will be prosecuted. "We’ve all assumed, together with the Environment Ministry, measures to punish those responsible for fires in the provinces."