Under the justification of a “new personnel policy,” the ministry terminated 5 former members of repressive agencies who were serving in the undersecretariat headed by Oscar Izurieta. Minister of Defense Andrés Allamand ordered the termination of contracts for personnel in the Undersecretariat of Defense linked to the repressive agencies of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.

Through a statement, and under the justification of a “new personnel policy,” the ministry reported that Alejandro Romero Peragallo, José Pérez Manríquez, and Orlando Carter Cuadra “have ceased their duties at the Undersecretariat of Defense as of today,” Monday, January 31.

Romero Peragallo and Pérez Manríquez were members of the CNI, while Carter Cuadra is the son-in-law of the former head of the dissolved DINA, Manuel Contreras. The removal was communicated to the 3 now-former officials on January 17.

Two other officials dismissed from their positions were Italo Seccatore Gómez and Pedro Fernández Neira, the former a member of the DINA and the latter a member of the CNI. Both were also contracted at the Undersecretariat of Defense, a department under the charge of the former head of the Army, Ricardo Izurieta. In their cases, they were dismissed on December 31. Project

Source: January 31, 2011 La Nación