The former director of the Valencian Agency for Security and Emergency Response, Emilio Argüeso, investigated in the summary regarding the dana of October 2024, has rejected this Monday to answer the questions raised by the deputies of the Congressional investigation committee in order to preserve his right to defense.
"I invoke the procedural guarantees recognized in the Criminal Procedure Law, which empower me to remain silent, not to make a statement if I do not wish to, and not to answer those questions that may compromise my position," he stated, emphasizing that his right to defense is "concerned" by the parliamentary investigation.
In coherence with this position and given that he is immersed in a judicial case, he has communicated "formally" to the committee that, in general terms, he invokes his constitutional right not to answer questions, with the purpose of avoiding "any interference in the open criminal case and scrupulously safeguarding" his right to defense and the presumption of innocence.
Argüeso held the position of director of Emergencies under the mandate of the former councilor Salomé Pradas, also charged in the tragedy, who has already appeared before the investigation committee and has a new summons scheduled for next Monday.
The one who was Pradas' 'number two' in Emergencies had been previously summoned by Congress last January, but did not attend claiming that he was on sick leave.