Overview

• Judge Leopoldo Puente ordered the bifurcation on September 23, keeping the advanced probe into pandemic mask contracts in the original case and opening a new piece on alleged rigged public-works awards.
• Named as investigados in the new public-works piece are José Luis Ábalos, Santos Cerdán, Koldo García, Víctor de Aldama, and businessmen José Ruz, Antonio and Daniel Fernández Menéndez, Fernando Agustín Merino, and Joseba Antxon Alonso.
• The judicial order distinguishes larger awards allegedly steered for Acciona under Cerdán’s direction from smaller operations purportedly driven by De Aldama, Ábalos, and García.
• The court directed the incorporation of UCO materials, including the report analyzing Koldo García’s recordings, Víctor de Aldama’s testimony and documents, García’s statement, and handwriting forensics.
• Some media report the split could enable sending the masks strand to trial as early as this autumn, though a pending UCO patrimonial report on Ábalos and other checks could alter timing; Cerdán remains in pretrial custody.