President Pedro Castillo’s lawyer, Benji Espinoza, said that the Nation’s prosecutor, Patricia Benavides, cannot force her client to appear before the Public Ministry for the procedure on August 4.
“The prosecutor of the Nation cannot force the President to go to the headquarters of the Public Ministry. The members of her prosecutorial team have contacted me and the Palace to coordinate the procedure tomorrow at the Palace, not at the Prosecutor’s Office”, assured in social networks.
Likewise, in statements to RPP, Espinoza confirmed that Castillo Terrones will not go to the Prosecutor’s Office because it is the president’s right to choose the place of the proceeding.
“No, the president will not go. He is not going to go to the Public Ministry, we are not going to submit to the whims of a person no matter how much position he has. The rules are respected, not the will of the people who have an ephemeral, transitory position”he stated.
Espinoza spoke in response to Patricia Benavides, who this Wednesday afternoon assured that they will wait for Pedro Castillo at the headquarters of the National Prosecutor’s Office and not at the Government Palace to take his statements about the investigation into alleged interference in the promotions of the Armed Forces.
In statements to RPP Noticias, the prosecutor specified that the prerogative to be questioned at the headquarters of the Executive Power is only applicable when the dignitary is a witness, which does not apply in the case of Castillo Terrones, who has the quality of being investigated in this case. case.
“No (I will go to the Palace), the proceedings will be carried out in the Public Ministry. The defense request is based on article 167 of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, that prerogative is only applicable when the high dignitary is a witness. Being the one under investigation, he has to go to the prosecution”he expressed.
He said that in case of not attending the summons, it will be the Office of the Prosecutor of the Nation that will determine the steps to follow. However, he indicated that the clarification on the place where he will be interrogated is being sent to the president’s lawyer.
“The citation is at the tax office. (If you do not attend) it is a defense issue, we will determine based on whether or not you attend the procedure already scheduled by the prosecution, which has been notified 15 days ago “he referred.
