Alberto Lazaro Vergel. According to the police commander, Major Lazaro had told him, in
the presence of a DAS officer, that he had a list of suspects who were to be located and killed
by paramilitary forces.50
46.
Furthermore, the Commission notes that some statements and reports refer to a State body
called UNASE (National Anti-Kidnapping Unit), comprising members of the National Army, National Police
and the DAS51, which was located in San Roque's main park, near the Town Hall of the Municipality of
Aguachica52.
47.
With regard to this unit, the petitioners submitted a number of statements indicating that it
was known for its participation in acts of violence and extortion. Thus, Edel Mary Castilla Acosta, who
worked at the Town Hall, indicated, with regard to the violence against members of the MAC group, that "for a
time it was doing all the killings"53; C.T. Fabián Ríos Cortés said that "from the information we hear that they
have links equally to the paramilitaries"54; Mrs. Fabiola Pastraña said that a person who belonged to the
UNASE asked her for a million pesos to tell [her] who killed [her] husband [...]"55; and Mr. Ruben Dario Torres,
who worked in the communications office of the treasury department, said "they knew there were social
cleansing groups" and added that "there were comments made [of UNASE] that they were charged with
cleaning up” 56. He further noted that "at that time we heard about death squads, but these were merely
rumors, because no one had either the resources or the technology with which to conduct a good
investigation.”57
48.
Additionally, the Commission notes that the case file contains information on a number of
attacks and killings against members of the MAC: Carlos Emiro Ramos Galvis, Principal Treasurer (E)
Municipal, killed on October 28, 1992;58 Gonzalo Cárdenas Alfonso, Chief of Personnel of the Mayor of
Aguachica, who was attacked on November 29, 1993; 59 Víctor Guadía Castañeda, who died on September 21,
50 IACHR. Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Colombia. OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102 Doc. 9 rev. 1, February 26, 1999, Ch.
IV, para. 173. Cf. Sworn Statement of Police Captain Fabián Ríos Cortés on May 7, 1998, case file No. 015 of the National Human Rights
Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 4, pp. 159 - 163. Annex No. 31 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
51 Report No. 279 of August 12, 2002 General Operations Department – Special Operations Subsection – DAS Judicial Police
Coordination - case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit Bucaramanga, folder No. 1, pp. 301 - 303. Annex 2 to the petitioners’
brief of November 10, 2010.
52 Map of the main park of San Roque in the Municipality of Aguachica in 1994, drawn up by Jaime Antonio Omeara Miraval.
Annex 37 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010. Sworn statement of Carmen Teresa Omeara Miraval of February 18, 2008, case
file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 3, pp. 142 – 145. Annex No. 39 to
the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010. Sworn statement of Jaime Antonio Omeara Miraval of August 25, 1998, case file No. 397 of
the National Human Rights Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 1, pp. 172 and 173 Annex No. 41 to the
petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
53 Sworn statement of Edel Mary Castilla Acosta of February 21, 2008, case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 3, pp. 150 - 154. Annex 35 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
54 Sworn statement of C.T. Fabián Ríos before the Central Unit of the Judicial Police, Homicide Crime and Personal Injury
Section, of February 6, 1995.
55 Sworn statement of Fabiola Pastrana, widow of Galvis on March 30, 2003, case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights
Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 2, pp. 122 and 123. Annex No. 13 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10,
2010.
56 Sworn statement of Rubén Darío Torres of July 21, 2010, case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit - National
Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 4, pp. 212 - 215. Annex No. 36 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
57 Sworn statement made by Fabián Ríos Cortes before the 44th Special Prosecutor on August 2, 2012.
Annex to the
petitioners’ brief received on May 17, 2014.
58 Sworn statement of Fabiola Pastrana widow of Galvis of March 30, 2003, case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit
- National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 2, pp. 122 and 123. Annex No. 13 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
Sworn statement of Jesús Emilio Blanco Páez of October 7, 1993, before the Office of Special Investigations of the National Procurator’s
Office, case file No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 2, pp. 85 and 86. Annex
No. 17 to the petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010. Sworn statement of Manuel Claro Santiago of February 22, 2008, case file No. 397
of the National Human Rights Unit - National Prosecutor’s Office Bucaramanga, folder No. 3, pp. 155 - 163. Annex No. 19 to the
petitioners’ brief of November 10, 2010.
59 Report No. 431 of September 7, 2009, of the Criminal Investigator of the National Human Rights Unit Bucaramanga, case file
No. 397 of the National Human Rights Unit – National Prosecutor’s Office, folder No. 3, pp. 279 - 286. Annex No. 12 to the petitioners’
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