In a meeting with the mothers of citizens killed in Soacha’s “false positives” scandal, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe promised government support for pursuing the cases against those accused of the murders, reported Caracol radio.
President Uribe said that following a consultation with Soacha’s ombudsman, Fernando Escobar, and the Colombian prosecutor general the country’s government has agreed to support the justice process by collecting evidence related to the extrajudicial killings in the region.
Colombian Minister of Defence Freddy Padilla also promised to work with the Judicial Council to provide any resources needed for the investigation.
The families of Soacha’s false positives victims will officially be recognized as vulnerable citizens and will receive support and protection from the Ministry of Defense, announced President Uribe.
“We will not participate in people going free because of technicalities; when there is proof you charge and you convict, you do not acquit,” said the president.
Many soldiers are currently awaiting trial in one of the country’s biggest scandals, involving members of the armed forces murdering civilians and reporting them as guerrillas killed in action, in order to make the war against left-wing guerrilla groups look more effective.
A number of suspects in the Soacha case have been released from custody on the grounds that they were not brought to trial within the proper legal deadline.