232.
On June 26, 1997 a judicial inspection of the recovered material took place. It was noted that
among the things found, there was a “38 caliber revolver” with “optimal functioning but very bad state of
conservation permitted for private use”.323
233.
The 124 Military Criminal Investigation Court was initially in charge of the investigation for
the crime of homicide with Lieutenant “Ditterich Dallatorre Werner, CP. Gómez Chacón Mauricio, SLV. Castro
Buriticá Jhon, SLV. Piedrahita Loaiza Ferney, SLV. Cruz Libreros William and SLV. Paz Rodríguez Angel” as
defendants.324
234.
On July 30, 1998 the 40th Attorney General’s office of Saravena proposed the “positive
jurisdiction clash” to the 124 Military Criminal Investigation Court.325 The Judicial Council returned the file to
124 Military Criminal Investigation Court and later issued a new statement in which it assigned the case to
the 124 Military Criminal Investigation Court.326
235.
On June 13, 2000, the Military Criminal Court passed a judgment in which it decided that
there were no merits to judge the defendants for the crime of homicide at the Oral War Council, and ordered
to suspend any proceedings against them.327 With regard to the competence of the military criminal
jurisdiction, the judge noted that at the time the events took place, the defendants were active military and
considered that the events were justified in the compliance with their legal duty and the need to self-defense.
The judge established that the events happened during a clash.328
236.
In relation with the events of May 27, 1997, the judge noted that Elio Gelves’s father stated
that “those who took his son said they were from the farianos guerrilla”, and when he asked what was he
been taken for they said it was for him “to help taking care of a car, as they were there to fight with ‘Y’”. The
judge considered this witness statement and the rest of the evidence “suggest that the three men that forced
Elio to go with them were subversives.”329
323 In addition the following articles were seized: “two 126 A2 grenades of American make in perfect working order, complete,
4,5 second delay scale, provider of ... 7.62 mm cartridges, capacity of 20 cartridges used for a G3 rifle of German make, two casings for 38
long…., one casing 22 long, eight projectiles 38 long, one projectile 38 long American CCI, 72 Cavin and Ven cartridges caliber 7.62, four
meters of slow wick, handmade black leather revolver cover, a handmade footbreaker mine, three squibs for load initiation…” Annex.
102. Judicial Inspection Proceeding, June 26, 1997. Annex to the petitioners’ brief of April 10, 2001.
324 Annex. 38. Decision from the Commander of the 18th Brigade, Judge of the First Instance. June 13, 2000. Annex to the
petitioners’ brief of November 6, 2000.
325 The 40th Attorney General’s office analyzed the corpse’s wounds and noted a “POSTERIOR-ANTERIOR-RIGHT-LEFT:
DOWN-UP” path and that “when the deceased received this injury he was lying face down and was shot from the back or from where his
feet are”. With regards to the “other 9 wounds found” he noted that they had “ANTERIOR-POSTERIOR-RIGHT-LEFT; DOWN-UP” paths
which indicates that the body was lying “face up and the shots were made from the direction of his feet”. The Attorney General noted that
the statements from the members of the military force all agree in stating “the time when they arrived to the place, at 11 pm, which
coincides with the time in which civilians stated that they arrived in ELIO’s house”; and “that the time of the clash coincides with those
relatives who heard shots around Fortul”. He also noted that “the accounts also coincide in stating that the deceased was not seeing
carrying weapons but war objects were impound, because that is what they were told”. He also established that “everyone said that they
saw the corpse face down, and supposedly from close by, but when asked if he was carrying weapons, they excuse themselves from
answering by stating that they were afar”. He stated that a “judicial inspection was performed to the impound war material and it is
established there that the revolver was in good functioning shape but very bad state of conservation, which means that it wasn’t worn by
anyone but rather kept somewhere”. Annex. 39. Delegate Attorney General, Jurisdiction clash, July 30, 1998. Annex to the petitioners’
brief of November 6, 2000.
326Annex. 38. Decision from the Commander of the 18th Brigade, Judge of the First Instance. June 13, 2000. Annex to the
petitioners’ brief of November 6, 2000..
327Annex. 38. Decision from the Commander of the 18th Brigade, Judge of the First Instance. June 13, 2000. Annex to the
petitioners’ brief of November 6, 2000.
328Annex. 38. Decision from the Commander of the 18th Brigade, Judge of the First Instance. June 13, 2000. Annex to the
petitioners’ brief of November 6, 2000.
329 Annex. 38. Decision from the Commander of the 18th Brigade, Judge of the First Instance. June 13, 2000. Annex to the
petitioners’ brief of November 6, 2000.