22 the Armed Forces, as the competent judicial body, because some of the accused were higherlevel officers.71 74. On September 8, 1981, Military Judge of Criminal Investigation No. 1 ordered the release of Mr. Julio César Allendes72 and Mr. Luis José López Mattheus.73 75. On October 29, 1982, defense counsel was assigned to 10 of the accused. 74 The thencurrent Code of Military Justice provided expressly that defense counsel should be an activeduty or retired officer who could be selected by the accused or appointed by the Court on its own motion.75 76. From September, 1983 through August, 1984, the record shows several statements and petitions by the accused, addressed to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, requesting amnesty under National Pacification Law No. 22.924 for allegedly having belonged to the “Vulcan Agency,” a body claimed to have been created to obtain funds for anti-subversion work, as well as several motions to challenge the constitutionality of Law 23.040 that repealed Law 22.924.76 Both the Prosecutor General of the Armed Forces and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces denied these motions, claiming there was no evidence that the “Agency” existed, that the funds pilfered from the armed forces were not used in the fight against subversion or terrorism, and that these allegations were groundless.77 71 Decision by Military Judge of Criminal Investigation No. 1, October 4, 1982 (evidence file, folios 8037 to 8051). 72 Order issued by Military Judge of Criminal Investigation No. 1 on September 8, 1981 (evidence file, folios 7624 and 7625). 73 Order issued by Military Judge of Criminal Investigation No. 1 on September 8, 1981 (evidence file, folios 7627 and 7628). 74 Listing of defenders provided by Air Operations Command, October 29, 1982 (evidence file, folio 7640). 75 Code of Military Justice (Law 14.029, July 4, 1951): “Article 97. - The defense counsel before military courts should always be an active-duty or retired officer. Defense shall be a voluntary service for retired personnel, but if they accept, they shall be subject to military discipline in all matters associated with the performance of this duty.” […] “Article 344. - Once everything is submitted, a note of verification shall be included in the record, and if the accused has not appointed defense counsel, the president of the court shall order in the notification papers that this be done, with the warning that the court will do so on its own motion if necessary” (evidence file, folios 12805 and 12856). 76 Cfr. Documented letters from Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, September 30, 1983; Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, September 30 and December 14, 1983; Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, October 5, 1983; an appeal of exception (recurso extraordinario) lodged by Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, December 27, 1983; a constitutional motion filed by Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, January 4, 1984 and April 26, 1984; a constitutional motion filed by Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, January 4, 1984; a constitutional motion filed by Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, January 5, 1984 and April 16, 1984; notification and appeal by Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, August 20, 1984; notification and appeal by Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, September 11, 1984 (evidence file, folios 6933 to 6936, 6947, 7915 a 7919, 7949, 7952, 7961 and 7962). Also see judgment by the National Appeals Chamber (evidence file, folio 2297). 77 Opinion No. 7970, November 9, 1983, by the Prosecutor General of the Armed Forces in response to petitions for amnesty by Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, Mr. José Eduardo Di Rosa, Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, Mr. Ricardo Omar Candurra and Mr. Carlos Julio Arancibia; Opinion No. 8083, February 2, 1984, by the Prosecutor General of the Armed Forces on filings by Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, Mr. José Eduardo Di Rosa, Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, Mr. Félix Oscar Morón and Mr. Carlos Julio Arancibia; Opinion No. 8123, May 8, 1984, by the Prosecutor General of the Armed Forces on the appeal of exception by Mr. José Eduardo Di Rosa, Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano and Mr. Félix Oscar Morón; Decision, November 25, 1983, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, on petitions for amnesty by Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, Mr. José Eduardo Di Rosa, Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, Mr. Ricardo Omar Candurra and Mr. Carlos Julio Arancibia; Decision, December 2, 1983, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces; Decision, February 28, 1984, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, on appeals of exception by Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Félix Oscar Morón, Mr. José Eduardo Di Rosa and Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf; Decision, July 23, 1984, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on submissions by Mr. Nicolás Tomasek, Mr. Enrique Luján Pontecorvo, Mr. Gerardo Félix Giordano, Mr. Miguel Ángel Maluf, Mr. Aníbal Ramón Machín, Mr.