Ex Palma Councillor says he took funds for drugs, not sex

STAFF REPORTER PALMA “I used public money to pay for drugs,” claimed ex Palma Town Planning Councillor, Javier Rodrigo de Santos, yesterday in court in Palma. A member of the ruling Partido Popular City Council during the term of office of the previous Balearic government, de Santos said that the money he had allegedly misappropriated from public funds during his term of office between 2006 and 2007 was to pay bills for drugs at gay bars and brothels. He denied that funds he took were originally intended to pay for sex. In his appearance before Public Prosecutor Juan Carrau, de Santos took the opportunity to ask for forgiveness from the Court. He said that the responsibility for having used some 50'000 euros of public money was his alone. De Santos claimed that there is no excuse for a person who is entrusted with an official position in government - as he was - to take advantage of public confidence. The accused made reference to a date in 2002 where he had entered a discotheque along the Paseo Maritimo in Palma where he became acquainted with Alfredo Gomez, the owner of a gay bar - Casa Alfredo.