The examining magistrate ‘mediator case‘ in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Angeles Lorenzo-Cáceres, already has in its possession the documentation related to the investigation that could still remain in the office of the Congress of the alleged ringleader of the political plotthe former socialist deputy Juan Bernardo Fuentes Curbelonicknamed ‘tito Berni’ by some of those involved, after having carried out last Wednesday the delivery by the camera of the electronic devices of the accused requested by the magistrate. The general secretariat of Congress announced this Thursday that it had processed this request and parliamentary sources indicated that several agents of the judicial police of the group of Computer Crimes who carried out said investigation those who appeared on Wednesday afternoon to access the office and desktop computer of the former parliamentarian, and access the information contained therein likely to be related to the case.
Congress did not offer any further details about the operation, which has been carried out with absolute discretion and without providing any other details about compliance with the court’s request, alleging that it is part of a judicial investigation into which the services of the Chamber do not have any competence, nor do they have authorization to report on this procedure. Congress has limited itself in this sense to communicating the reception on Monday of the Order of the examining magistrate to proceed with the delivery of telephone communication instruments, telematics and mass storage devices for digital informationas well as at personal notes, invoices, accounting books, minutes, extracts, files and registration, notarial and tax documents that the accused could have in what was his office during his time as deputy until his resignation on February 14.
Authorization
The delivery of the material that Fuentes could keep on his computer or other electronic instruments, as well as any other documentation related to the investigation, required an express judicial request given the inviolability of the chamber, whose president, Meritxell Batet, received late Monday afternoon and authorized immediately. Although at first Batet communicated through his cabinet that it would be the National Police of the Congressional Police Station that would be in charge of this collection of material capable of keeping key documentation on the operation of the plot, the truth is that the order of the judge clearly established that said delivery would have to be made to the officials of the Group of Technological Crimes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, who, in addition, were authorized, if necessary, “to modify the access codes” of the electronic devices “if they appear in them facts related to the crimes investigated.”
On the other hand, yesterday it was also learned that Juan Bernardo Fuentes has asked Congress to pay the compensation to which he is entitled for his resignation as deputy whenever it meets the requirements for it in application of the Remuneration system and aid for members of Congress. According to the digital newspaper The confidential and this newspaper has confirmed, Fuentes Curbelo has claimed that compensation that, due to his time as a parliamentarian since he took office on February 4, 2020, almost would reach 9,400 euros. The right to that compensation is not affected by the fact that he was charged in court in an alleged corruption plot.
Termination Severance
Specifically, Fuentes Curbelo has the right to the so-called “severance pay” provided that the former deputy does not have other remuneration for work or professional activity and provided that he has spent two years in Congress in the legislature to which the dismissal corresponds. The stipulated compensation is that corresponding to the monthly constitutional allowance of 3,126.89 that each deputy receives as ‘base salary’ for each year in the seat, in his case the three that he has held the seat since he replaced Elena Máñez, appointed Minister of Economy of the Government of the Canary Islands, on the aforementioned date. That is to say, that Fuentes Curbelo will obtain compensation for three months that add up to 9,391 euros.
He has also requested this compensation for the termination of the former deputy of the PP Alberto Casero, who left his seat on the 3rd, a few days after Fuentes Curbelo, for thisr investigated by the Supreme Court for alleged crimes of administrative prevarication and embezzlement public during his time as mayor of the town of Trujillo in Cáceres. Also in his case, the circumstance occurs that his dismissal as a deputy leaves him without other remuneration for work activity.
