The president of the Association of Prosecutors of Spain, Guillermo García-Panasco, warned this Monday those who accuse the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of being used for political purposes that they could be committing a crime, so he calls for moderation in speeches surrounding this institution.
García-Panasco asked to "meditate a lot" before making certain statements that speak of alleged crimes (abuse of power or even embezzlement of public funds) that, if not true, could in turn constitute a crime of slander.
"To say that instructions are given to the Public Prosecutor's Office with the sole purpose of persecuting political adversaries, if it is not a crime, it is quite similar," declared the president of the Association, who said that those who speak in this way are assuming crimes of abuse of power or embezzlement of public funds that, if not true, could in turn be incurring in a crime of slander.
LAS TERESITAS
Regarding whether it is a crime, committed by the press, to have made public the complaint against the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Miguel Zerolo, for alleged corruption on the beach of Las Teresitas, as the Canarian Government complained, García-Panasco considers that it is not.
To justify this consideration, he considered that the press can make public those data that are not relevant to the investigation, such as the complaint. So much so that he even considered it positive that, if it does not affect these relevant data, the work of the Prosecutor's Office is known.
"The fact that the complaint has been published has not diminished the effectiveness of the investigation," said the president, adding that this is so since the judge herself has agreed to keep the investigation secret, so she believes that the fundamental part of it is not being affected.
ACN Press