By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
To Malaya, Ballena Blanca and Astapa can now be added Acinipo – the Roman name for Ronda. An apt choice by the police leading latest municipal corruption case that saw a wave of arrests on Tuesday including the former mayor of Ronda Antonio Marín Lara.
Roads were sealed off as at least three police raids swept in to operation at the town hall, municipal offices and the homes of those involved. Yet it caused little commotion in the town of the Tajo because after years of rumour few would have been surprised that arrests had now been made.
As in Marbella and Estepona the case revolves around town planning corruption. Apart from the ex mayor who in turn was Partido Andalucista then socialist, three other PSOE councillors were also detained plus former associates of the previous administration.
Having their collars felt were Francisco Cañestro, the secretary of the local PSOE who is also a provincial deputy; María José Martin de Haro, the former town planning councillor and Rafael Lara who was in charge of local contraction and security. According to judicial sources the others detained were a lawyer and people associated with the Eroski commercial centre development to be built on the former football ground. A seventh person also involved in this project has been questioned by police. Two of these latter arrests were made outside of the province.
The anti-corruption prosecutor Valentín Bueno, who was the mover behind the Astapa and Arcos cases, ordered in 20 officers of the Udyco organised crime unit from the Costa del Sol and a dedicated group dealing with money laundering. The judge of Ronda’s number 2 court is in charge and sources say those involved have been under investigation for around 12 months. Indeed if the charges are proved then the ecologists in Ronda deserve much of the praise because it was they who prodded the forces of law and order in to action.
Taken by surprise was the new Partido Popular mayor of Ronda, Mari Paz Fernández, when the secretary of the court, the anti-corruption prosecutor and plain clothes police all entered her office. They had arrived at the historic town hall located in the plaza de la Duquesa de Parcent in silence.
Then started a search of the mayor’s suite previously occupied by Marín, the various former municipal departments of the other councillors arrested in this case and their private homes and offices. Taken away were town planning documents, various files and the hard discs of computers. The operation that had started around 9.00 finished at 18.00.
The charge sheet against those involved is lengthy but now all too familiar in such cases. Corruption, bribery, embezzlement, falsifying documents, money laundering, traffic in influences and obstructing justice.
Police are said to have taken away a large amount of documentation relating to the sale of the former football stadium on which is to be constructed a mega commercial centre under the name of Eroski. They were also looking for information on the construction company involved Ruiz Jurado.
Both the ecologists and Izquierda Unida had brought a number of cases against the then mayor Antonio Marín. These centred on the controversial Los Merinos golf development close to the boundary with Cuevas del Becerro in the Serranía. Although the development is halted because of the economic crisis the plans are to build 800 luxury homes, a golf course plus hotels and the company involved has paid millions of euros to the town hall on and on-going basis as laid down in its town planning agreement. There are also current cases before the courts involving illegal construction in the Hoya del Tajo – a supposedly protect zone. Whether these make up part of the Acinipo investigation remains to be seen.
Marín and the others arrested in Ronda were taken from their homes and offices to various municipal locations, all were looking very nervous. They were then transported to the police HQ in Marbella and spent the night in police cells in Málaga. Their respective wives, including that of Marín who had been a fellow councillor in his administration, were not seen.
The anti-corruption prosecutor is understood to have ordered the tapping of the phones of those involved for some time. There have also been rumours circulating around Ronda for the past week that something was afoot. However all were surprised when Valentín Bueno swept in to town with the police raiding parties.
NO PAY
The neighbouring municipalities of Cortes de la Frontera and Gaucín cannot afford to pay their workers. Thirty-four employees are involved in Gaucín they have not paid for July and August and the total is around 75,000 euros. Over the same period 224 workers have not been paid in Cortes nor have those collecting the cork harvest. Cuevas del Becerro is also in arrears.
JEWELLERY THEFT
The Guardia Civil in Cortes de la Frontera have arrested a 28-year-old local man accused of stealing jewellery from another person in the village. After an official report was made of the theft officers found the items being sold in a gold dealing shop in Cortes. It appears the culprit was known to the victim and even had a key to the property.
BRIDGE REPAIR
The small dilapidated road bridge at Llano de la Cruz which marks the boundary between Ronda and Arriate is to be repaired. It was recently visited by Manuel López the Ronda councillor responsible for outlying areas. After requests from local residents the town hall is to completely replace the crash barriers and upgrade the structure with work starting within the next 15 days.
GOING ALONE
Residents of El Colmenar – Estación de Gaucín are to be granted a degree of autonomy. Currently the area is part of the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera. Local people have been campaigning for independence and Málaga province has now granted them ELA status which means they will have management of local affairs. El Colmenar will be the fourth ELA in the province.
TOREROS WAY
Ronda has inaugurated the Paseo de los Toreros, a walk way in the Blas Infante zone by the bullring. There will be spaces dedicated to the famous bullfighters Pedro Romero, Niño de la Palma and Antonio Ordóñez. It will honour people closely associated with the world of bullfighting with one being immortalised each year by being commemorated along the route of the pathway.
PARK RESTORED
Ronda is to restore the urban parkland in La Dehesa. The large wooded area has been neglected in recent years. The councillor for the environment, Rafael Flores, has announced a major clean-up operation involving collecting the accumulated rubbish, replacing damaged equipment in the children’s play area, installing new access signs to show entry points and there will also be a track for cyclists.
