Colombia’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Wednesday criticized the judge responsible for revoking the international arrest warrant of former Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo.
The prosecutor for the office’s anti-corruption unit told the court he felt Judge Johana Rodriguez’s March 23 decision to lift the warrant for Restrepo, who is being investigated for his role in the alleged 2006 false demobilization of a non-existent FARC unit, was made hastily with a disregard for the evidence presented.
“The Office respects the decisions, but there are some who feel that agencies should evaluate [the evidence] and see it taken with some foundation,” said Alcacer in a hearing for demobilized FARC member Felipe Salazar, alias “Biofilo.” The former guerrilla’s attorney requested the judge revoke his sentence.
Biofilo has been instrumental in aiding the prosecution’s investigations into the parapolitics scandal, which saw hundreds of politicians investigated for their ties to paramilitary groups during the presidency of Alvaro Uribe.
“I do not know if it was me who discovered this fraudulent demobilization, but I am the only one still in jail,” the ex-guerrilla said in court.
The director of an NGO with close ties to Uribe denounced Biofilo’s detention in February because his cooperation with government prosecutors “allowed his freedom from prison.”
“Biofilo has agreed to cooperate and has done so in a very effective way,” said Liduine Zumpolle, director of the Manoz de la Paz foundation, an NGO founded by jailed FARC guerrilla Olivo Saldaño.
Restrepo fled Colombia January 8 and his whereabouts remain unknown. He has requested guarantees for his safety before he will return to his native country.
