national

Ex-soldier remains defiant

Wearing a "sombrero pintao," a black shirt and carrying a small Panamanian flag, former head of the old Fuerzas de Defensa, Evidelio Quiel, said yesterday that he would not ask for forgiveness from the victims of the Oct. 3, 1989 slaughter known as the Albrook massacre, because he was only following orders. Quiel was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the killings.

Quiel made his declaration in Paso Canoa, on the border between Panama and Costa Rica, where he has been a fugitive from Panamanian justice since 1991. He said he had nothing to do with the execution of the group that took arms against Manuel Antonio Noriega back then.

"I never saw the group that was executed that day [Oct. 3, 1989]. I'm not a murderer but a patriot," Quiel said defiantly in front of Panamanian reporters. He added that his orders were to lead a group to gain control of the old headquarters of the Fuerza that had been seized by civilians, and to deliver it to his superiors.

Quiel also asked the relatives of the victims to forget the past and seek national reconciliation. "My case should be reopened and I should be able to come back to Panama to properly defend myself," he said.

The head of the Policía Nacional, Carlos Florez, who stood with police officers at 50 meters from the border where Quiel was talking with reporters, said he had instructions to arrest the former soldier if he ever crossed the border, but that never occurred.