This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

id: 20281
date: 9/1/2004 23:23
refid: 04BOGOTA8899
origin: Embassy Bogota
classification: SECRET//NOFORN
destination: 
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.



----------------- header ends ----------------

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 008899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
GENEVA FOR JEFF DELAURENTIS 
DRL FOR DANIKA WALTERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2014 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM MOPS CO
SUBJECT: DRUG TIES RELATED TO GUAITARILLA POLICE DEATHS 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Milton K. Drucker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.    (C) On August 30, the Inspector General's Office 
(Procuraduria) announced that it had closed the disciplinary 
investigation into the March 19 Army-Police clash in 
Guaitarilla, Narino Department.  According to the televised 
announcement, the Procuraduria will press charges for alleged 
negligence and official misconduct against the Director of 
Operations in the Police "GAULA" Unit (a special 
anti-kidnapping and anti-extortion unit) and four other 
officials.  In an unrelated incident on August 31, Police and 
Army units shot at each other again, this time in the 
outskirts of Bucaramanga, Santander Department, killing two 
police officers.  It is not yet clear what caused the latest 
incident.  End Summary. 
 
Guaitarilla Background 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.    (C) During an official disciplinary investigation of 
the March 19 Army-Police clash near Guaitarilla, Narino 
Department, the Procuraduria uncovered evidence and received 
testimonies showing that the seven police and four civilians 
killed were involved in a cocaine deal gone awry.  They have 
not yet made a decision about Army participation.  Initially, 
Police Commander Libio German Castillo, who was in charge of 
the unit, said the police and civilian victims had been 
involved in an operation against a gang of criminals when 
they were killed.  One source speculated that the Army was 
called in to attack Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia 
(FARC) elements in the area and ended up in a friendly-fire 
incident with the police instead. 
 
 
IG Files Charges Against Police Officials 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)    The Procuraduria is filing misconduct charges 
against police officials involved in the incident and is 
still investigating the army's involvement.  Their charges 
against the police are for dereliction of duty and abuse of 
authority.  The following officials have been formally 
charged: Ltc. Humberto Guaitbonza Carreno, Deputy Director of 
the National GUALA Unit, Ltc. Jorge Enrique Baron Blanco, 
Operating Commander of the Narino Police, Captain John Jamie 
Yepes Mejia, Commander of the Narino GAULA, Captain Libio 
German Castillo Villarreal, Commander of the Narino SIJIN 
(local police investigative unit), Superintendent Javier 
Alberto Alfaro Otero, Carlos Americo Chavez Loaiza, and 
Eduardo Rodrigo Huertas, Julio Cesar Hernandez Moreno, Arley 
Antonio Garcia Sicaronni, and Wilson Salet Bernal Villada of 
the National Police's Pasto detachment.  The Prosecutor 
General's Office ("Fiscalia") will continue its separate 
criminal investigation. 
 
¶4. (C) On August 25, Deputy Inspector General Carlos Arturo 
Gomez met with Emboffs to discuss Guaitarilla, Cajamarca, and 
other high-profile disciplinary investigations.  Gomez noted 
that the Guaitarilla case probably involved mass corruption 
and individuals hiding or tampering with evidence.  He added 
that autopsies of those involved that night indicated they 
had been abused, contradicting official accounts.  He 
stressed that, despite overwhelming evidence of drug 
involvement and official misconduct, those involved would 
receive little more than a slap on the wrist.  For example, 
the Procuraduria could only issue disciplinary suspensions, 
and the Fiscalia had mentioned to Gomez that criminal 
convictions could be difficult given the problems with the 
evidence.  Gomez told Emboffs that although a Fiscalia 
official had been present during all evidence collection, 
most evidence was still tainted before analysis, suggesting 
that Fiscalia employees were complicit in the cover-up. 
 
Second Police-Army Gunfight 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (S)  On August 31, a second Police-Army incident occurred 
when an Army GAULA unit opened fire on SIJIN officers in the 
rural outskirts of Bucaramanga, Santander Department, killing 
two police officers.  While the SIJIN agents were allegedly 
wearing vests with bright yellow "SIJIN" letters on the front 
and back, the initial GAULA report to Army headquarters 
claimed the SIJIN agents fired first. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Those involved in the Guaitarilla incident, whether 
Army or Police, have refused to take polygraphs or discuss 
the incident publicly despite the MOD's public announcement 
that he wanted them to submit to polygraph exams.  Ongoing 
revelations about the case have the potential to undermine 
the Minster of Defense's credibility and damage the 
military's public image.  The latest incident near 
Bucaramanga will only aggravate already tense relations 
between the Army and Police.  End comment. 
DRUCKER 

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