We also asked Espat about the Police Commissioner's announcement that he does not want to pursue criminal action against Police Constable Alicia Trapp for their verbal scuffle at the Teakettle Village Council Elections 11 days ago.
He said that he would have preferred that there was no big deal made about that incident in the first place:
Hon. Julius Espat - Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"From the beginning, when you asked me this question, I think various media houses asked me, and I have always stated I am not the person. I'm not the aggressor. And so I have no need of pressing charges. What I have done is alerted my attorneys to be on hold in case something happens that I have to defend my position. And we are sticking to that. What the police do internally, I have no control over and they have to do what they need to do. But the truth is, it boils down to national security. This is a police officer that was stationed to protect us in Cabinet. And I have a right when I see that person being political and campaigning against the government. I didn't reprimand her. I just told her she was doing wrong. And if we can't defend national security, then I suppose we have a problem. But everybody has rules. I've told you guys before, the police have rules, the media has rules, politicians have rules, and the general populace has rules. We have to start to learn to follow those rules."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, has there been any sort of communication back to you and your attorney on your demand for a retraction on the suggestion that you broke the law in any kind of way?"
Hon. Julius Espat
"No, not yet, and when that time happens, we will sit and decide what to do."
