DEFENSE PROLONGS PROCEEDINGS AGAINST BLANCO LAPOLA AND OTHER ACCUSED

Guatemala, February 4, 2013. Today, Court B of the First Instance for High-risk Matters suspended the pre-trial hearing to open oral arguments against Marlene Raquel Blanco Lapola (former Director of the National Civil Police [PNC] and former Deputy Minister of Security) because her legal counsel failed to show up. Blanco Lapola, along with other members of the PNC, is accused of allegedly forming part of a parallel structure involved in contract killings. The former official is accused of criminal association and extrajudicial killing.

Judge Miguel Ángel Gálvez suspended proceedings after receiving the medical withdrawal of lawyer William Edilzar Rodas Quiñones, who allegedly suffers health problems. Another defense lawyer, José Francisco García Gudiel, did not excuse himself for his failure to attend the hearing, where the judge will eventually decide if the accused will stand trial.

Both the lawyers are defending Blanco Lapola and former officer Israel Chávez Chávez, and to date they have filed four remedies prolonging the duration of the criminal proceedings.

The following is a list of the names and crimes of the accused in the proceedings:

1. Marlene Raquel Blanco Lapola—criminal association and three extrajudicial killings.
2. Mártir García Hernández—criminal association and three extrajudicial killings.
3. Wilder Valdez López—criminal association and two extrajudicial killings.
4. Lino Efrén García Castillo—criminal association and one extrajudicial killing.
5. Israel Chávez Chávez—extrajudicial killing.
6. Edwin Nathanael Chipix Nox—breaching reasonability of civil servants and public employees.

CICIG acts as a complementary prosecutor in this criminal proceeding.

Background
CICIG and Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) investigations determined that in response to the money extorted from transport businesspersons (from the end of 2008 and during 2009), the officers involved were given instructions from their superiors to take tough measures, including killing, against the extortionists. Blanco Lapola used the PNC structure, and its logistics structure and equipment, to give orders, support and approvals. Based on these orders, this group of police executed those suspected of extorting bus owners.