Ramón Bravo Mera, Carlos Cevallos and Marcelino Gómez Ponce as masterminds; Lenin Ordoñez, Vicente Domínguez, Jhonny Menéndez, Freddy Contreras and Carlos Cedeño as perpetrators; and the lawyers Reyes and Isabel Montaño de Mera (hereinafter “lawyer Montaño”) as accessories.69 On March 18, 2000, the XIth Judge of Manabí accepted the civil action and, on this basis, extended the criminal action to those who had not been implicated in the case up until that time: Medardo Cevallos Balda; Alberto Cevallos Gomez-Piñán; David Cevallos Gomez-Piñan, Carlos Cevallos and the lawyer Reyes and the lawyer Montaño.70 On April 17 the same year, Nelson Palma Mendoza, together with other members of Mr. Palma Mendoza’s family, filed a civil action against the same individuals who had been named by Rosalie Palma Bravo, with the following exceptions: they did not accuse Vicente Domínguez and they did not name Jhonny Menéndez, but rather “Jhonny Moreira.” 71 47. On March 18, 2000, the XIth Judge of Manabí issued an order in which he required, inter alia, “extending the court order to investigate the crime and all the preliminary proceedings to […] Medardo Cevallos Balda, […] Alberto Cevallos Gómez-Piñan, […] David Cevallos Gómez-Piñan, Carlos Cevallos, the lawyer […] Reyes [and the lawyer] Montaño.” He indicated that these persons were implicated in the case “as co-accused” and should appear “to provide preliminary statement on April 4, 2000.” 72 48. On March 22, 2000, the XIth Judge of Manabí was informed that Vicente Dominguez and Freddy Contreras had been arrested in Guayaquil.73 According to the respective records, they had both provided testimony that concurred with the statement made by Lenin Ordoñez on March 9 that year (supra para. 45), as regards the date of Mr. Palma Mendoza’s capture and those who took part in the event.74 Subsequently, on March 27 and April 4, 2000, Freddy Contreras and Vicente Dominguez, respectively, gave preliminary statement before the XIth Judge of Manabí.75 They both denied what, according to the respective records, they had 69 Cf. Civil action filed by Rosalía Palma Bravo addressed to the XIth Judge of Manabí, in “criminal case No. 319-97, of March 14, 2000 (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 23, folios 1558 to 1564). 70 Cf. Order of March 18, 2000, issued by the XIth Judge of Manabí (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 25, folios 1570 to 1572). Regarding lawyer Ignacio Buenaventura Reyes Cárdenas and lawyer Isabel Montaño de Mera, it should be noted that, according to the civil action filed by Rosalía Palma Bravo before the XIth Judge of Manabí on March 14, 2000 (supra footnote 69), they had provided professional services relating to the search for Mr. Palma Mendoza and, according to the said action, in this context, they had taken steps to conceal the crime committed against him. 71 Cf. Civil action of April 17, 2000, filed by Geoconda María and Marco, both with the surnames Palma Figueroa, Nelson and Vicente, both with the surnames Palma Mendoza, and Monserrate Palma Cedeño, before the XIth Judge of Manabí (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 32, folios 1623 to 1627). 72 Cf. Order of March 18, 2000, issued by XIth Judge of Manabí, folios 1570 to 1572. The body of evidence provided to the Inter-American Court does not show that the persons mentioned, with the exception of lawyer Reyes, in fact gave preliminary statement. Regarding the latter, his testimony is recorded in the prosecutor’s partial indictment issued on December 26, 2000, by the XIth Criminal Prosecutor of Manabí (cf. The prosecutor’s partial indictment of December 26, 2000, signed by the lawyer George Moreira Mendoza, XIth Criminal Prosecutor of Manabí. File of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 48, folios 1686 to 1696). 73 Cf. Official note No. 2000-392-PJ-MM of March 22, 2000, signed by the Chief of the Judicial Police of Manta, Wilson Alulema Miranda, addressed to the XIth Judge of Manabí, Roger Pico Benítez (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 27, folio 1577). 74 Cf. Report of March 22, 2000, sent to the Provincial Chief of the Judicial Police of Guayas, signed by Police Capitan Marcelo González (file of attachments to the pleadings and motions brief, attachment 27, folios 1580 to 1582). It is important to note that Vicente Domínguez indicated that Medardo Cevallos Gómez-Piñán had given the order to kill Mr. Palma Mendoza, and Freddy Contreras stated that the same man had ordered that the bodies be disappeared. 75 Cf. Preliminary statement of Freddy Contreras before the XIth Judge of Manabí, of March 27, 2000, and preliminary statement of Vicente Domínguez before the XIth Judge of Manabí, of April 4, 2000 (file of attachments to the answering brief, attachments 6 and 7, folios 1894 to 1899 and 1902 to 1908, respectively). 17