592

This chapter shall constitute a general and uniform mechanism for providing an adequate balance between the protection of the constitutional right against self-incrimination and the need of the Commonwealth for obtaining information from witnesses which it considers essential to criminal, administrative and legislative investigations carried out by it without impairing the public interest and the responsibility of the government to see that the corresponding sanctions are imposed upon violators of the law.The public policy of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is to make the appearance of witnesses in criminal, administrative and legislative investigations compulsory and obtain from them the information needed without impairing the right of every person against self-incrimination through his/her own testimony. History —Dec. 8, 1990, No. 27, p. 1520, § 3.