LIMA MarCH 3 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — A parliamentary group that is trying to question former President Pedro Castillo today ratified his refusal to do so in person, as the former president demands, and insisted that he agrees to testify by teleconference.
The president of the Congressional Oversight Commission, Héctor Ventura, said that if Castillo does not agree to testify by online video, he is hindering the investigation of cases of alleged corruption, which are being investigated by the legislative group.
He maintained that the former head of state refuses to testify as a witness, for which he will become under investigation and previously indicated that the required person intends to put on a media show speaking before the commission.
Castillo’s lawyer, Eduardo Pachas, said his client has spoken “clear and direct” and will only testify in the Legislative Palace or, if the aforementioned commission moves to question him, in the prison for senior officials where he is serving preventive detention, but not virtually.
On the other hand, a controversy broke out over the unusual request by the National Prosecutor for a new preventive detention for Castillo, for 36 months, which in fact would replace the 18-month one he has been serving since Dec 7.
He was dismissed by Parliament for ordering, without being obeyed, the dissolution of Congress.
The lawyer Benji Espinoza, Castillo’s former defense attorney, stated that the measure is not justified and is unnecessary, since pretrial detention serves to guarantee the presence of the person under investigation, prevent him from putting pressure on witnesses or obstructing the investigation in other ways, which is done in Castillo’s case because he is already in prison.
Espinoza had an outstanding performance as a lawyer for the then president, until he resigned to defend him when he announced the dissolution of Congress, something they had agreed he would not do, with which the client defrauded his record.
However, he said he maintains the position that no evidence has been presented so far that Castillo is guilty of the corruption cases being investigated.
Regarding the crime of rebellion, for which the ex-president is in prison, he asserted that it can only be committed using weapons, which he did not do, for which he only deserves a disqualification for constitutional infraction, but not a prison sentence.
Regarding Castillo’s demand, to testify in person before the Congressional Oversight Commission, he specified that he can request the transfer of the former president to Congress and question him there, but added that congressional commissions “act out of political opportunity and convenience.” — NNN-PRENSA LATINA