On December 13, Civil Guard Colonel Diego Pérez de los Cobos will turn 61 years old. An age at which, according to the internal regulations of the officer scale of the Armed Institute, you will have to go to reserve status. And while it is true that he could have extended the terms up to 65 years, as long as he had been promoted to general, the obstacles and obstacles to which the Executive of Pedro Sanchezspecifically the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande Marlaska, have prevented this from happening.
For all these reasons, Pérez de los Cobos, despite his judicial victories, He will leave the Madrid command at the end of the year. And it will, “with his head held high and a clear conscience”, in clear allusion to Marlaska. But, before that happens, the colonel wanted to record what his time at Benemérita has meant. And what better time than this Saturday, in Tres Cantos, during the celebration of Pilar Day, patron saint of the Civil Guard. There, he gave an emotional speech, which received unanimous applause of those present.
Especially emotional was the last part of that speech, where the colonel’s regret for having to leave the Madrid Command could be glimpsed, even more so when justice has ruled him right on different occasions. “Today is a very special day for me becauseer the last time that, as Head of the Madrid Command, “I have the honor and satisfaction of sharing this celebration with you,” Pérez de los Cobos began his speech. A speech in which he also wanted to remember how he took office six and a half years ago, on April 12, 2018. Thus , recalled that after taking his oath of office he assured that his objective would be none other than “to serve Spain and our citizens.” from the strictest compliance with the law”.
Away from “submission and servility”
The colonel of the Civil Guard, committed himself then to “cultivate and demand the values that have been the hallmark of this worthy institution: and“honour, discipline, the spirit of sacrifice and loyalty”. And at that moment, as during his entire career, Pérez de los Cobos pointed out, he kept in mind the formula of the oath he took to the flag 42 years ago at the General Military Academy: “Obey and respect the King, defend the sovereignty and independence of the Homelandits unity, its territorial integrity and the constitutional order”.
And at this point, excitedly, he admitted that for “causes beyond my control”, since “this intermittent mandate of the Madrid Command has been much more turbulent than I could initially intuit”, he has to say goodbye. However, he stated “without false modesty” that he leaves with “the conviction of having been faithful to those commitments made: faithful to compliance with the law, to the defense of our constitution, to the unity and territorial integrity of the Homeland, loyal to my subordinates, and disciplined in what true discipline –so far from submission and servility– can and should encompass”.
In short, Pérez de los Cobos wanted to leave a message to Grande-Marlaska: “I leave with my head held high, with a clear conscience and with the highest reward that a soldier can treasure, the gaze of the men and women he has had under his command.
For this reason, his last words were for the civil guards of the Madrid Command, whom he congratulated on Pilar Day and transmitted a brief, but concise message. “Only five words that perfectly summarize the feeling of your colonel in his last public intervention as Head of the Command: Gentlemen, thank you very much, mission accomplished“.