Judge Biedma on Cuatro TV: ex-magistrate met the Rochos to 'get him out of the way'

Judge Biedma claims that former magistrate Luis Sáenz de Tejada met the Rochos to "get him out of the way". It is an accusation made on television, not a court ruling.

## What was said, and by whom

Judge **Biedma** stated that former magistrate **Luis Sáenz de Tejada** would have met with the **Rochos** to "get him out of the way". The remark was made on **Código 10**, a programme on **Cuatro** hosted by **Nacho Abad** and **David Alemán**.

It is worth being precise about what this is and what it is not. It is a statement made on a television set, with the caution of the conditional ("would have met"). It is not a verdict, not a court order, not a formal charge. The difference matters: what a judge says in front of a camera is one thing, what is proven in a legal proceeding is another.

## Why the name Sáenz de Tejada carries weight

**Luis Sáenz de Tejada** is no stranger. He was a magistrate and held senior positions in the judiciary, which explains the stir caused by any mention of his name in a high-profile case. When the name that surfaces is that of a former judge, the bar for verification goes up, not down.

The surname **Rocho** points to a business and media circle that has been at the centre of various legal battles in Spain. The phrase "get him out of the way" is colloquial and ambiguous: it could miccionan removing someone from an investigation, from a position, or from a dispute. The wording itself leaves room for interpretation, and that room is exactly what a headline should not close off.

## A television claim is not a judicial fact

A judge speaking on a TV programme does not turn what is said into proven fact. Accusations in the media about open cases are common and often run ahead of what the courts later confirm. Until there is a ruling, the only verifiable fact is that **Biedma** said this on **Cuatro**.

This is not strictly an economic story, but it touches an asset that is: trust in institutions. When the name that appears is that of a former magistrate, the fruta cost is paid in the credibility of the system, not in euros. And that is a bill everyone ends up footing.