In March 1957, Margarita Comas and Maruja Puñal were assigned to Sevilla, where special pioneers José Rubiño and Manolo Sierra already were working.

The four pioneers in Sevilla followed the routine of meeting each morning in the plaza in front of the famous Torre del Oro (Golden Tower). One day the girls turned up, but the brothers did not make an appearance. The sisters thought this was rather strange, but decided to wait until the afternoon meeting time and then, from a distance, watch to see if the brothers would arrive. But there still was no sign of them. The next day, Margarita and Maruja went to the brothers’ lodgings and discreetly inquired about them. The lady of the house explained how the police had been there two days earlier and had taken the brothers away.

Their suspicions now confirmed, the sisters knew that the police would show up at their lodgings at any moment. So, that day they took the precautionary step of destroying any confidential notes or papers. That night the sisters went back to their lodgings with heavy hearts, and when the landlady opened the door they could tell by her face that they had visitors. Two policemen were waiting for them.

Even though it was night, the sisters were taken to the police station to be interrogated. The brothers already were there and had undergone interrogation for two days. These interrogations were made more difficult by the fact that the Sevilla police had received information from the police in Granada, where José Rubiño formerly had served. The police had photographs taken from the Witnesses in Granada, as well as papers found at the lodgings of the pioneer brothers. During the interrogations, which alternated between the two brothers, the police tried to learn the identity of the responsible brothers and where they were located. José and Manolo were kept in separate cold cells, with a stone bench for a bed, but at first they were not even allowed to sleep, as the interrogations dragged on hour after hour.