PUP Orange Walk East Standard Bearer Marco Tulio Mendez was the main subject of discussion today at an emergency meeting of the party's parliamentarians, executive members and standard bearers. It took place at party headquarters starting at 2:00 pm, where we saw all the party officials streaming in – all except Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez – who has shunned public appearances since child molestation allegations emerged against him. The meeting lasted about two and a half hours, after which party leader Francis Fonseca laid out the party's position on the troubling case of Dr. Mendez:…

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader – PUP

"Obviously we are dealing with allegations. So far nothing formal has come to the party's attention or to my attention. So we're dealing with rumours and allegations that have been made against honourable Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. Based on the nature of these allegations, we have heard and received them. Obviously as a party we take it very seriously, any such allegation has to be treated with the absolute seriousness that it deserves – like all Belizeans has zero tolerance for any, any act of that nature against any child in our society. So that obviously is our clear position. But but as we met today, there is no substance before us as it regards these allegations. So what the party has done is to authorise me, as the leader, and we discussed many different options; It is a revolving matter, it is a fluid matter and as the matter develops over today and the course of the next few days, the party has authorised me to take the necessary action that I deem necessary, that I see appropriate as the facts become available to me and to the party."

Jules Vasquez

if it results that criminal charges are brought, will the party then act to formally distant itself from Dr. Mendez?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"All of those matters were discussed. I don't want to get ahead of myself at all on this matter. It's a very serious matter, we're treating it very seriously. Of course we also have to understand that these are allegations against one of our colleagues, so we are concerned as well about Dr. Mendez. We're concerned about his family, that is very important as well. So I'm not going to get ahead of myself at all. As information become available, as you said, if criminal charges are laid against him, we consider that issue and we have the responses that we will take if those things arise."

Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News

"Sir in the matter of Arthur Saldivar, the party had actively initiated an investigation, even though, like in this case, it was only allegations and no criminal charges. Will that be the case in this? What I'm hearing from you is that the party will just wait for the situation to evolve, if it does."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"Well yes, obviously all of us are interested in getting at the truth, finding out exactly what the facts are in this case. Yes, we are involved as a party in trying to determine what is true."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir but is a double standard being employed in so far as what is the standard of impropriety by which the party is actuated to take action. There are significant allegations in terms of the same sort of things they were against Arthur Saldivar, but Arthur Saldivar's one was never even questionable as a criminal complaint. In this case, it seems that there will be a criminal complaint."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"You're saying it seems that way, it's all allegation. We have gotten nothing. In the case of Arthur, we conducted our internal investigation, we also had some reports that we had received as a party and we acted on the basis of those reports. I have nothing, you're saying it seems likely that there will be but let us wait and see exactly what will happen."

Reporter

"Have you or the party met with Dr. Mendez since this has burst out?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"Yes I have spoken to Dr. Mendez, and I'm record saying and this remains his position, I spoke with him earlier today, that he intends to defend his name, his reputation vigorously, that remains his position."

Mike Rudon

"Sir, have you gotten an indication that Dr. Mendez intends to or may resign his seat in the national assembly?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"Speaking to him today, that is not his intention, that is not his position. He has said that he intends to defend his name vigorously, his reputation, his family and does not intend to resign."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir, but why isn't the party able to say clearly, if being charged for child molestation, which is indecent assault of children, if you are charged for that, you cannot be a standard bearer or a representative for the PUP. Why can't you just make that statement?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"Why do you want me to speculate about something that's not on the table. I don't know that."

Jules Vasquez

"He's criminally charged."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"You want me to make some grand statement, no. We're talking about a man's life, his career."

Jules Vasquez

"We're talking about children."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"As well, that was the first point I made, that the welfare of our children is critical important and must be paramount. But the point is, you want me to enter into a realm of speculation about Dr. Marco Tulio's future and I will not do so, unless I have facts before me to do so. I will not do so."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir, let me ask, hypothetical question. If one is charged."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"This isn't a time for hypothetical questions."

Jules Vasquez

"It is a time for hypothetical questions, it's your answer. It is."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"No, no, this is a very serious matter that affects a man's career and his family. I understand that there is a political agenda at play but I will not be a part of that political agenda. There is a man's career at stake and his family's welfare that we have to be concerned about. Very concerned about any allegation against a child by anyone in this society and there is zero tolerance for that, I must say that. Anybody, must be zero tolerance for that. Our party will never, never countenance anyone who has engaged that type of behaviour. Absolutely not if that is what you want to hear, I agree with that."

And so while the PUP takes a wait and see approach – the police, we are told, are reviewing the statements made against him. Today Orange Walk police told us they could not comment but will do so, quote, "as soon as (we) get anything concrete" –end quote, which we take to mean they don't have anything concrete at this time.

But, simultaneously we are very reliably informed that that two teenaged girls have made complaints that Dr. Mendez had inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with them from the age of ten years old. These reports have been made to the Department of Social Services – and we are told this has formed the basis for a police report.

Again, to protect the identity of the alleged victims, we cannot provide any details on the relationship between the Doctor and the now teenaged girls.

But, turning to the political side of this story – could the PUP be courting themselves into an Elvin Penner type situation? That's what we asked the leader of the opposition today – and we'll have his answer later on.