The Court of First Instance and Instruction number four of Ávila has dismissed the lawsuit filed by the former head of the Civil Guard Command of Las Palmas and former agent of the Costa Teguise barracks and now lieutenant colonel in reserve against the general secretary of the Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC) in the Canary Islands, Juan Couce, for a crime against the right to honor.
The Justice has imposed on the former head of the Benemérita Command in Las Palmas the payment of court costs, valued at 3,500 euros. This is stated in the judgment issued on July 2, to which La Voz has had access.
The events date back to September 2021, when the plaintiff filed a complaint against Couce alleging the protection of the right to honor and claiming damages.
According to the union, the former head of the Benemérita Command in Las Palmas requested compensation of 12,000 euros, the payment of court costs and the publication of the judgment, in the event of a conviction, on the AUGC website and networks.
Thus, the union itself states that the origin of the conflict dates back to March 2017, when the general secretary of AUGC Las Palmas imposed a disciplinary report against the officer for a problem at the Airport. The crux of the matter was that although the civil guards had to present service in the same, passing the filter to access the armories and deposit the long weapons, they "lacked the necessary accreditation to enter that area" and "necessary training for their handling."
Then, finally, the officer was not convicted but Juan Couce himself for "false statements" and he was imposed a sanction of one month of employment and salary. On this occasion, the Justice states that "the protected legal right is discipline, not honor" and that "the statements, even if false, cannot be considered insulting."
AUGC assures that "despite everything", after the report "the Airport Security courses were taught" that were necessary for the agents.
Thus, as a representative of the union, Couce publicly denounced "several facts" allegedly carried out by the lieutenant colonel in reserve.
