Koldo García's silence before the judge for the mask case in the Balearic Islands
The former advisor to former minister José Luis Ábalos exercises his right not to testify in the investigation into the purchase of sanitary material during the pandemic
PalmKoldo García, former advisor to former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos, has taken advantage this Thursday of the right not to testify before the National Court judge Ismael Moreno. The summons was motivated by the report from the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard on the purchase of sanitary material in the Balearic Islands during the pandemic.
According to his lawyer, Leticia de la Hoz, explained in statements to the media, the decision responds to an appeal filed with the magistrate to request the dismissal of the case and the suspension of the interrogation. The defense's argument is that the facts would have already been judged in the Supreme Court and that, therefore, they cannot be investigated again.
The case is part of the proceedings regarding an alleged scheme of illegal commissions in the sale of masks during the pandemic, which also includes businessman Víctor de Aldama, considered the intermediary of the plot. His statement, also scheduled for this Thursday, has been postponed until May 21.
De la Hoz has argued that the case "cannot re-judge the same facts" and has stated that they will await the resolution of the appeal. If it is not successful, she has assured that they will request Koldo García's voluntary statement.
The lawyer added that her client was summoned in relation to mask contracts from the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands which, she maintains, would have already been analyzed by the Supreme Court. She also emphasized that evidence was collected with the testimony of the former president of the Balearic Government, Francina Armengol, and the former Canarian president, Ángel Víctor Torres.
In parallel, the defense has requested access to the copy of the phones seized by the Civil Guard, considering that without this information they cannot fully exercise the defense. Regarding Koldo García's condition, his lawyer has assured that he "is calm" and that he "wants to talk" to the judicial authorities.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office had requested the testimonies following the latest UCO report, which points to a possible commission network linked to sanitary contracts during the pandemic, with cash payments and relationships between the main defendants in the case.
