Press Release

1. As a result of the serious denunciations of alleged disappearances in Soacha, near Bogotá, and alleged murders in the jurisdiction of Army Divisions II and VII, the Minister of Defense has issued Decree 4342 of October 3, 2008 to create a temporary Commission, appointing the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to analyze the operational circumstances involved and to recommend administrative measures accordingly.

2. The creation of the Commission is part of the  policy of the Government, and in particular of the Ministry of Defense, to allow zero tolerance of violations of human rights. In its six years of unprecedented achievements in the restoration of security, the Democratic Security Policy has been founded on efficacy, transparency and legality.

3. The chief interest of the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is to secure the integrity, morality and legitimacy of the forces, as reflected in a range of policies, orders and directives; and amongst others, Standing Directive 300-18/2007 of the Commander-in-Chief, Armed Forces.

4. The administrative and operational investigations mounted by the Commission have discovered serious indications of negligence at different levels of command in respect of the observance of and compliance with procedures to be followed in the cycle of intelligence and the planning, performance, execution and evaluation of military operations and missions, and inexcusable lack of diligence on the part of officers in the rigorous investigation of alleged irregularities occurring in their jurisdictions.

5. The Commission concluded that this negligence could have facilitated the collusion of certain Army personnel with criminals alien to the forces of law and order, who have been acting with impunity, in exchange for contributions to the achievements of irregular results which are wholly contrary to the Democratic Security Policy and military doctrine and honor.

6. These events are being investigated  as criminal and disciplinary matters by the Prosecution Service and the Inspector General, respectively, to whom the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces have been and will be providing full support in clarifying the facts.

7. The Ministry of Defense, in the light of the serious administrative and operational failings discovered by the Commission, has decided to dismiss or request the resignation of the following Army personnel, regardless of the results of the criminal and disciplinary proceedings:

- Maj. Gen. Roberto Pico-Hernández, Commanding Officer, Division VII.
- Brig. Gen. José Joaquín Cortes-Franco, Commanding Officer, Division II.
- Brig. Gen. Paulino Coronado-Gámez, Commanding Officer, Brigade XXX.
- Col. Santiago Herrera-Fajardo, Former–Commanding Officer, Mobile Brigade XV.
- Col. Juan Carlos Barrera-Jurado, Commanding Officer, Brigade XIV .
- Col. Rubén Dario Castro-Gómez, Commanding Officer, Mobile Brigade XV.
- Col. Carlos Bohórquez Botero, Chief Staff Officer, Brigade XIV.
- Lt. Col. Diego Tamayo-Hoyos, Commanding Officer, Infantry Battalion No 15 Santander
- Lt. Col. Nestor Camelo-Piñeros, Former Commanding Officer, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calìbio.¨
- Lt. Col. Wilson Ramírez-Cedeño, Commanding Officer, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calìbio.¨
- Lt. Col. Wilson Castro Pinto, Former Commanding Officer, Infantry Battalion ¨General Rafael Reyes.¨
- Lt. Col. Milton Varón-Rubio, Former Commanding Officer, Infantry Battalion ¨Batalla de Bombona.¨
- Lt. Col Gabriel Rincón-Amado, Operations Officer, Mobile Brigade XIV.
- Lt. Col. Angel Alberto Acosta-Vargas, Commanding Officer, Service Battalion No 14.
- Maj. Carlos Gilberto Rodríguez, Intelligence Officer, Mobile Brigade  XIV.
- Maj. José Baquero-Ramos, Commanding Officer, Counter-Guerrilla Battalion No 96 of Mobile Brigade XIV.
- Maj. Peralta Ramírez, former Operations Officer, Infantry Battalion ¨General Rafael Reyes¨.
- Maj. Nemesio López-Díaz, Intelligence Officer, Brigade XIV
- Capt. Javier Alarcón Ávila, Intelligence Officer, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calibio.
- Lt. Eduar Villany-Realpe, Intelligence Officer, Infantry Battalion ¨Rafael Reyes¨.
- Sgt. IA, John Fredy Sotelo, former intelligence section assistant, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calibio¨.
- Sgt. IA, Jesus Ñiampira-Benavides, intelligence section assistant, Engineers Battalion ¨ Rafael Reyes.¨
- Sgt. IA,  Fredy Perdomo-Bonilla, storeman, Infantry Battalion Santander.
- Sgt. II, Cristian Castro-Ojeda, weapons storeman, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calibio.¨
- Sgt II, Sandro Pérez-Contreras, Junior Intelligence Officer. Infantry  Battalion Santander.
- Sgt II, Fernando Cano-Gómez, platoon supernumerary, Infantry Battalion ¨ Batalla de Bomboná.¨
- Cpl III, Felipe Perdomo-Polanìa, squad commander, Engineers Battalion ¨Batalla de Calibio.¨

Bogotá, October 29,  2008