A congressman appointed to investigate former President Alvaro Uribe’s involvement in illegal wiretapping has pulled out of the commission on the grounds that he is not impartial, reports El Espectador.
Congressman Augusto Posada of the Partido de la U was appointed as part of a three-person team to investigate the former president, but now says that his judgement is impaired and will no longer participate.
Posada cited the fact that he had in the past denounced ex-Senator Piedad Cordoba, who is due to testify before the commission, as a traitor, and also his friendship with Uribe, reports Caracol Radio.
The “Uribista” congressman said that his decision was taken “in order to protect the impartiality [of the investigation] and the fair trial of those involved.”
The Colombian Congress Accusation Commission, which is running the investigation, is working with complete transparency, according to Posada.
“I am clear about my ethical principles […] I can never doubt that my actions have been transparent,” said Posada.
Former President Alvaro Uribe has been accused of the illegal surveillance of Supreme Court judges, politicians, journalists and human rights workers.
The other two members of the commission are Alfredo Bocanegra Varon of the Conservative Party and Heriberto Escoba of the PIN party. The parties of all three members are “Uribista,” and were part of the former president’s coalition. According to commission president Hector Javier Vergara, the investigators were chosen randomly, in accordance with the constitution.
Colombia’s inspector general has already convicted four intelligence executives and Uribe’s personal secretary Bernardo Moreno for their role in the scandal.