Peru's Congressional Ethics Committee will investigate Deputy Julián Pérez as soon as it is formally installed, Harvey Colchado, second vice president of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Deputies, confirmed. Pérez, who represents the Juntos por el Perú party, was arrested at a police station in San Miguel over an alleged assault on his former partner.
Colchado said Congress is still in the process of forming its committees, so the Ethics Committee does not yet have formal jurisdiction over the case. He said that once it is constituted, Pérez Mallqui's file will be one of the first matters it takes up, and he ruled out any attempt to shield the legislator from scrutiny.
Using a Peruvian expression for one predator turning on another, Colchado said that in this case the otorongo would indeed eat the otorongo, meaning no colleague would protect Pérez within Congress.
Details of the arrest
Pérez was caught in the act after his former partner, identified as Laura Evelin Bonilla Valerio, accused him of assaulting her at his apartment on Jirón Manco Segundo in San Miguel. Bonilla Valerio had previously represented Pérez as his lawyer in a separate legal case. Peru's Supreme Family Prosecutor's Office has already opened proceedings into the matter.
Pérez was elected to represent the Cusco region and had been sworn into Congress just six days before the alleged assault.
Party response
The Juntos por el Perú parliamentary group said it would evaluate internal disciplinary sanctions against Pérez Mallqui, though it noted that any decision would depend on the outcome of the prosecutor's investigation. In a statement, the party said it reaffirmed its rejection of all forms of violence and its commitment to respect for due process.
Background
Peru's Congress is currently working through the process of forming its internal committees, including the Ethics Committee, which is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct against sitting lawmakers. Juntos por el Perú is a left-leaning party represented in the current legislature.
