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Motion to discharge measure seeking to strip escorts from ex-governor ruled out of order after heated floor exchange
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Summary
Representative Héctor Ferrer asked the House to discharge Resolution RC 188 to remove escort privileges for former Governor Wanda Vázquez; the presiding officer ruled the request out of order, prompting several members to argue procedure on the floor.
Representative Héctor Ferrer raised a point of order on Sept. 29 seeking to use the second turn to discharge Resolution RC 188 so the chamber could consider removing paid escorts, a vehicle and fuel allowances assigned to former Governor Wanda Vázquez. The presiding officer and other members disagreed on procedure, and the request was not taken up.
Ferrer argued the floor time should allow consideration of the discharge motion and repeated his request, saying prosecutors had declared Vázquez culpable and that it was intolerable to continue the allowances. "...no quieren quitarle el chofer, la gasolina y la guagua pagada por el pueblo de Puerto Rico mientras es se declaró culpable de corrupción," Ferrer said during the exchange.
The presiding officer and other members responded that the chamber was in the second-turn calendar-reading segment and that discharge motions belong in a different procedural phase; the presiding officer told members the point of order was outside the parliamentary stage then under consideration. Torres Zamora, the House spokesperson, and several members confirmed the ruling. Representative José Puente Hernández also intervened, defending the presiding officer's authority to manage procedure.
Outcome: The transcript shows the point-of-order request was ruled out of order and the calendar proceeded; no formal vote on discharging RC 188 occurred during the sessional minutes provided.
Why it matters: The exchange reflects floor-level dispute over parliamentary procedure and a contentious substantive request involving a former governor's security and allowances. While members voiced strong views, the chamber did not address the substance of removing escorts during that session.
Next steps: No action on RC 188 was recorded in the transcript; any future effort to discharge the resolution would need to follow the House's procedural rules for scheduling and discharge motions.
