Twist in the face mask case: politicians and businesspeople could be called to testify

Canarias Parliament Board addressed on June 5 a question of public interest raised by elcierredigital.com regarding the "mask case". Now, it has forwarded our Transparency request to the Board of the Investigation Committee to analyze awards of Covid-19 supplies in Canarias.

As part of our journalistic investigation, elcierredigital.com's question addressed the possible appearances of political authorities. Specifically, of former officials from the Health Department of the Canarias Government, businesspeople, and intermediaries under investigation in the "Damco case" and "Derbah" for the purchase of masks.

Both the company Damco Trading Services SA and Apartahotel La Ponderosa—linked to the Lebanese businessman under investigation in an anti-drug operation, Mohamed Derbah—were awarded multimillion-euro contracts. All were approved under the leadership of then Canarias President and current Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres.

This socialist minister in President Pedro Sánchez's government will have to appear on June 23 before the Investigation Committee. He will have to answer about the mask contracts awarded during the pandemic while he was regional president of Canarias.

Torres's contracts are being investigated by the UDEF of the National Police and the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Those involving the companies Damco and Tanoja were for €20 million, and those involving RR7 were for €4 million.

Las Palmas Investigating Court Number 5 is investigating an alleged tax offense related to commissions obtained in the Damco case. Among those under investigation is the sole administrator of the company, Noel Jammal. Also, the president of Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, Miguel Ángel Ramírez, the politician Lucas Bravo de Laguna, and the intermediary Christian Cerpa.

Additionally, the National Court is keeping the investigation open into the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas SL. This company was also awarded the supply of masks during Torres's government (Koldo Case).

Likewise, the recent search of Apartahotel La Ponderosa by the National Police in an Internal Affairs operation against drug trafficking is added. This hotel establishment was used by Torres's government to house migrants in Covid-19 quarantine. It did so through a contract under the Arcas de Noé project of the Canarias Health Service (SCS), with an approximate cost of €1 million.

Following the decision of Canarias Parliament Board, the Investigation Committee will announce whether the Damco and Derbah cases will be analyzed by their own members—deputies from PSOE, CC, PP, VOX, NC, ASG, and AHI. They will also inform whether political leaders and those under investigation in these judicial proceedings will be summoned. It should be recalled that, at the time, those involved in the RR7 case already appeared, as well as other awardees of health supply contracts approved by SCS.

Judicial Cases Closing In On Minister Torres

It should be recalled that the National Court is keeping as a suspect in the Koldo case the former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos. Also his former advisor, Koldo García, and the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas SL. Ábalos and Koldo were also summoned for the "mask case" before Canarias Parliament Investigation Committee.

The company Soluciones was also awarded about €10 million in mask contracts during Torres's presidency in Canarias. As elcierredigital.com reported, the popular prosecution in the "Koldo case," Hazte Oír, requested in 2024 that "the Civil Guard's UCO investigate Minister Torres." The high court has not yet ruled.

Meanwhile, the company under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office, Damco Trading SA, obtained €17 million for supplying health supplies to SCS. Damco's sole administrator, Noel Jammal, is under investigation for alleged bribery and embezzlement. So is the former SCS director, Conrado Domínguez, and the former SCS Economic Resources director, Ana María Pérez. Meanwhile, the company Tanoja Services SL received €3 million in SCS contracts.

Additionally, the European Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating the €4 million contract for one million 3M masks, obtained by the company RR7 United SL. The case keeps its sole administrator, Rayco Rubén González, as a suspect. The RR7 case also affects the former SCS director and the former SCS Economic Resources director. Both remain under investigation in these cases and made these contracts during Torres's term.

Returning to the Damco case, the European Public Prosecutor's Office recently stated in a report—as elcierredigital.com reported—that they have found evidence of "corrupt commissions".

Additionally, the UDEF of the National Police is currently analyzing 25,000 emails seized from those under investigation in the Damco case. Regarding the commissions obtained from their contracts, Las Palmas Investigating Court Number 5 is investigating an alleged tax offense.

Derbah, Under Investigation, Offered His Hotel To Torres's Government

According to the second vice president of Canarias Parliament Board, Gustavo Matos, "the businessman Mohamed Derbah offered his Apartahotel La Ponderosa to Canarias Government. He did so to house migrants in Covid-19 quarantine."

As elcierredigital.com revealed, Torres's government awarded Apartahotel La Ponderosa several contracts costing €1 million. According to the contracts, there were 2,151 users in this accommodation and 162 meals distributed by the NGO Red Cross in this same hotel.

These contracts were made by SCS with two different companies, both managers of this hotel establishment. The awardees were the company Bares y Restaurantes Sur SL and Viajes al Paraiso Canarias SL. The latter billed SCS €464,000 for housing migrants between October 2021 and March 2022.