Santos Cerdán hires Benet Salellas to defend himself in the Supreme Court

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.

Salellas, who is also the brother of Girona mayor Lluc Salellas, was Jordi Cuixart's lawyer during the Proceso trial, where he clashed several times with the president of the court, Manuel Marchena. As a deputy, he held a seat in the CUP party during the referendum and the DUI (Union of the United Left) legislature, between October 2015 and 2017. Sources close to him tell this newspaper that his taking on Cerdán's defense is a "professional matter" and "shouldn't be news."

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 plot, 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 won't make any statements. I'm 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 Efe news agency shortly after submitting his resignation to Congress. He is scheduled to appear voluntarily next week, on Wednesday, June 25, before the judge presiding over the case, Leopoldo Puente.