Socialist party calls for 'calm' in Frigiliana as investigation into alleged corruption at town hall continues

The socialist PSOE political group in Frigiliana in the Axarquía area of Malaga province has called on residents to remain “calm, confident and composed” as the investigation into alleged corruption in the town council’s contracting and financial management continues.

The statement was released on Monday 3 August on the Frigiliana PSOE's social media accounts, more than a month after the Guardia Civil carried out a 13-hour search of the municipal offices following a complaint.

“In light of the information that has come to light in recent weeks, we at the Frigiliana PSOE wish to convey a message of reassurance to all our residents,” the statement begins. However, the party refrained from addressing the specific case currently being investigated by a court in Torrox.

The party, which has governed with an absolute majority since 2019, with Alejandro Herrero serving as mayor since 2017, said that its position has been and will continue to be one of acting with “absolute responsibility, transparency, and full cooperation” with the relevant proceedings. The party also expressed its “utmost respect for the institutions and established procedures” as the judicial investigation continues.

The statement lists among its priorities “ensuring the stability of the town hall and maintaining the normal operation of municipal services.” “The most important thing right now is to ensure the stability of the town hall and continue working as usual to meet the needs of Frigiliana and all its residents,” the group states.

The reaction comes a week after Mayor Alejandro Herrero and five of the six socialist councillors invoked their right to remain silent before the Torrox court. As SUR reported on July 27, the defence team justified this decision by noting that they had received, just a few days earlier, a case file containing nearly a thousand pages and a large amount of digital documentation.

In addition to the mayor, councillors María del Carmen Cerezo, Antonio Manuel López, Francisco Iranzo, Andrés Ortega, and Eduardo Jesús García Sánchez had been summoned. They argued that they needed time to thoroughly review the documentation and that some of the video and audio recordings provided were “unintelligible” or could not be played back properly.

The only person under investigation who testified that day was a member of staff at the town hall, although details of their testimony have not been disclosed. The mayor and councillors' right to remain silent does not imply an admission of the facts under investigation. The six officials will have to be summoned again once their lawyers have had the opportunity to analyse the material included in the case file.

The investigation was made public on June 30, when Guardia Civil officers searched the town hall. The operation also targeted a restaurant and several private residences linked to the investigation. The officers temporarily seized the mobile phones of the mayor and the five councillors under investigation.

The investigation is examining contracts, invoices, and administrative records linked to about twenty companies. The case is provisionally investigating possible crimes of administrative malpractice, embezzlement of public funds, procurement fraud, document forgery, coercion, influence peddling, and membership in a criminal organisation.

The proceedings stem from complaints filed by two municipal officials—a local police officer and a secretary-auditor. The complaints alleged the splitting of contracts, the lifting of objections and verbal contract awards. In this context, the local PSOE says it understands “the concern” raised and maintains that it is committed to continuing to work with “responsibility, honesty, and dedication.”

The statement does not address the alleged irregularities on a case-by-case basis nor does it announce any policy measures, while the opposition PP and Vox political parties have demanded “resignations and accountability” from the mayor and councillors.

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