Retired Colonel admits responsibility for 38 murders before JEP

Retired Colonel Juan Carlos Figueroa Suárez has admitted responsibility before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) for his role as a superior by omission in criminal acts committed by members of the No. 2 La Popa Artillery Battalion. The crimes occurred during his command between January 2004 and July 2005.

Figueroa Suárez accepted charges related to 24 victimizing events, which resulted in 38 murders, as well as cases of forced disappearance and torture. The JEP investigation concluded that the former officer failed to take necessary actions to prevent and sanction the conduct of his subordinates.

The admission of responsibility marks a shift from an adversarial process to a restorative stage focused on truth-seeking and victim reparation. During the hearing, families of the victims participated to honor those lost, including cases involving 11 forced disappearances and nine instances of torture.