36 because the paramilitaries believed he was dead, since the brains of one of his colleagues had fallen on his head.101 115. Before leaving, the paramilitaries wrote “be gone MAS, be gone paramilitaries” [Fuera el MAS, fuera los paramilitares] on the exterior surface of the vehicles in order to ensure that the massacre be attributed to the guerrilla groups. Before leaving, they took twenty-three of the twenty-five case files the Judicial Commission had been carrying. 116. Only three members of the Judicial Commission survived the massacre, “[d]ue to unforeseeable circumstances, thanks to luck.”102 Despite the great tribulations of the events they had endured but to which their colleagues had succumbed and the physical suffering caused by their injuries, the three survivors were able to start one of the vehicles and flee the area of the massacre until the vehicle broke down after they had driven for approximately three kilometers toward Barrancabermeja. Survivors Manuel Libardo Díaz Navas and Wilson Humberto Mantilla managed to escape and ask for help from individuals passing in a soda delivery truck near the area where their vehicle had stopped. However, survivor Arturo Salgado Garzón, who had been wounded with a bullet in his buttocks and head, stayed in the area and waited for help.103 117. As stated by Mr. Salgado, he remained alone, tied up, and injured for five hours, hiding near the scene of the massacre, waiting for help. During that time, he was afraid that “they would suddenly return to kill [him] again.” At approximately 17:00 hours, journalists from the “Vanguardia Liberal” arrived and helped him to a clinic. No security forces arrived to provide help, despite the fact that there was a military station about fifteen minutes away and another about forty minutes away.104 118. In fact, after these events, the State did not guarantee adequate medical assistance to Mr. Salgado Garzón for his injuries. In the clinic they even left a piece of the bullet in his buttocks.105 119. After the massacre, the three surviving victims had to live for three months in an apartment provided by the Office of Criminal Proceedings [Dirección de Instrucción Criminal] under surveillance, since they could not go home due to security reasons. Due to the threats they received, the Director of Criminal Proceedings decided to send them to different cities in Colombia.106 120. Victim Arturo Salgado Garzón107 stated that it was a time in which he had “very little” contact with his family, who also had to leave their home. Afterwards he was sent to Spain 101 Cf. supra note 97. 102 Cf. judgment of November 14, 1990 issued by the Superior Tribunal of Public Order (record of evidences to the application, volume I, evidence A32, page 451). 103 Cf. testimonial statement offered by Arturo Salgado Garzón before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on January 31 and February 1, 2007. 104 Cf. supra note 103. 105 Cf. supra note 103. 106 Cf. supra note 103. 107 Cf. supra note 103.