Santos Cerdán hires Benet Salellas to defend himself in the Supreme Court
The CUP clarifies that the former member of Parliament is no longer a member of the party and expresses its "discomfort."
BarcelonaSantos Cerdán makes a move to defend himself in the alleged corruption case involving the PSOE. According to ARA, the Socialist party's former number three has hired lawyer and former CUP MP Benet Salellas to try to prove his innocence before the Supreme Court. The move comes after lawyer Gonzalo Martínez-Fresneda took the initial steps in the case on behalf of Cerdán, who was looking for another lawyer.
The news about Salellas has shaken Catalan politics, as the Girona-born lawyer was one of the key players in the Trial as a CUP MP in the Catalan Parliament. In fact, his brother, Lluc Salellas, is in the political spotlight, as he is currently the mayor of Girona.
Benet Salellas was one of the CUP deputies who entered the Parliament in 2015 and is remembered for that phrase "we have consigned Artur Mas to the dustbin of history," when the then leader of CiU decided to step aside in favor of Carles Puigdemont to save the pro-independence legislature.
During that term, Salellas played a key role in drafting the referendum and legal transition laws, which were to be applied during the 1-O and after the DUI. Already applied in 155, with the leadership of the Proceso (Process) imprisoned and exiled, Sallelas took on the defense of the then leader of Òmnium, Jordi Cuixart, in the Supreme Court, where he was involved in several clashes with the president of the court, Manuel Marchena.
Salellas' decision to accept Cerdán's defense has not pleased the CUP (Union of the Unity of People's Party), which has already expressed its "discomfort" to him. Speaking from the Parliament, CUP MP Laia Estrada stated that the Girona lawyer is no longer a member of the party: "We cannot assume responsibility for him. However, we want to make it clear that, had he been a member of our party, we would have demanded that he not take on this defense."
He has extensive experience.
Salellas has extensive experience defending social and human rights causes, especially in cases involving victims of retaliation, such as the Tamara Carrasco case or that of those accused of surrounding the Parliament in 2011. Now, however, he will represent a defendant accused of alleged corruption. Specifically, for the alleged collection of commissions in exchange for public works contracts, according to the Civil Guard report on the scheme for which former minister José Luis Ábalos and his advisor, Koldo García, are also being investigated.
Cerdán confirmed this Tuesday that he was seeking a lawyer to "prove his innocence." "I will not make any statements. I am looking for a lawyer. When I have a lawyer and go before the judge, I will make my statements and prove my innocence," he said in a brief statement to the Efe news agency shortly after submitting his resignation as a member of Congress. He is scheduled to appear voluntarily next week, on Wednesday, June 25, before the Supreme Court judge presiding over the case, Leopoldo Puente.