Manuel Bautista, the mayor of Móstoles representing the People's Party (PP), will appear before Judge Lourdes Ramírez on February 26 at 10:00 AM. He is scheduled to testify as a defendant in a case involving allegations of sexual and labor harassment filed by a former female councilor from his own party. The initial summons for Bautista was set for October 9, but his legal team requested a change of date on three separate occasions before the new hearing was confirmed.
The case originated when the former councilor filed a complaint on February 16, which was admitted for processing by the Violence Against Women Court No. 2 in Móstoles on April 15. Bautista's defense had previously attempted to have the complaint dismissed, arguing that the alleged incidents were merely personal disagreements and internal operational conflicts lacking rational criminal indicators. However, Judge Ramírez rejected this motion, stating that the acts described clearly constitute penal offenses, including sexual harassment, labor harassment, and the revelation of secrets. The judge emphasized the necessity of verifying whether these crimes occurred and determining any resulting responsibilities or damages.
According to the complaint filed by lawyer Antonio Suárez-Valdés, the situation began with unwanted explicit sexual propositions from Bautista. This allegedly escalated into the spread of false rumors regarding a romantic relationship between the two, creating a hostile work environment that prevented the woman from performing her duties as a councilor. The pressure reportedly led her to resign her seat and withdraw her membership from the PP, where she had been active since 2010.
Prior to taking legal action, the accuser sought support within her party. Documents indicate she held two meetings with regional PP leadership, including Vice Secretary of Organization Ana Millán and Regional Secretary General Alfonso Serrano. During these encounters, she was reportedly advised against filing a lawsuit, with warnings that doing so would harm her and her family. Despite this lack of institutional support and the absence of an internal harassment protocol, she proceeded to the courts. The national PP leadership later archived her complaint regarding sexual and professional harassment without summoning the victim.
In addition to Bautista's testimony, six witnesses are scheduled to testify in the coming weeks. These include former PP councilor Raúl Gallego, who resigned from his seat in March to show solidarity with the accuser. Three witnesses will appear on January 15, while the remaining three are set to testify on February 9.
Sources: El País Portada.