17/06/2026 09:05 - Actualidad
Sala de audiencias improvisada en hangar de gendarmería con abogados, jueces y pantallas de videoconferencia
The oral trial for the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña began this June 16, 2026 at the Gendarmerie Squadron 48 in Corrientes, a province in northeastern Argentina. The first day combined complex procedures, moments of tension, and unexpected situations that kept everyone present on edge.
Corrientes is a northeastern Argentine province bordering Paraguay. The Gendarmería Nacional is Argentina's federal military police force, typically responsible for border security. The trial is being held in a Gendarmerie facility because of the high-profile nature of the case and security concerns.
One of the most surprising moments occurred when psychologist Esteban Federico Rossi Colombo, one of 17 defendants accused of co-authorship of unlawful deprivation of liberty, aggravated fraud, and cover-up, failed to appear at the start of the hearing. The tribunal, composed of judges Fermín Ceroleni, Simón Pedro Bracco, and Eduardo Belforte, declared him in rebellion—a legal term meaning he was officially a fugitive—and ordered his arrest.
However, hours later and after the news had already circulated in the media, Rossi Colombo appeared connected by videoconference from a Gendarmerie facility in Tucumán, a province in northwestern Argentina, over 1,000 kilometers from Corrientes. The defendant, who had been detained in 2024 but was released pending trial, argued he lacked the funds to pay his previous lawyer or travel to Corrientes, so he appointed Córdoba-based lawyer Segundo Delgado as his new defender.
The judges decided to accept the remote participation of the accused and approved that he be assisted by the new defender, provided he waived his request for 72 hours to review the case. The decision caused discomfort among some defense teams who noted their clients had been specially transported to participate in the trial.
Prosecutor Carlos Schaefer harshly criticized the tribunal's decision and demanded that the initial ruling be maintained: Rossi Colombo excluded from the trial with the arrest order still valid. The prosecutor argued there were potential conflicting interests in the accused's legal representation.
Tension escalated when attorney Segundo Delgado stated he needed to intervene on Wednesday in a homicide trial in Córdoba, which would force the postponement of the hearing. Finally, the tribunal appointed public defender Mirta Pellegrini provisionally to represent the defendant.
During the day, exchanges between defendants caught the attention of those present. Laudelina Peña (Loan's aunt, accused of child abduction) and Victoria Caillava (accused along with her husband Carlos Pérez of abduction and concealment) greeted each other with a kiss upon entering the room.
Another detail that generated comments was the presence of a wedding ring on one hand of former police commissioner Walter Maciel. Typically, detained individuals do not retain personal items of that kind during transfers. Maciel also held brief conversations with some police officers participating in the site's security.
One of the most significant scenes was the request by defender Mónica Chirivín for a group of gendarmes to position themselves in front of Laudelina Peña to prevent the public and press from observing her reactions during the reading of the accusation. The tribunal granted the request, which generated greater discomfort in an already tense environment.
The oral debate is taking place in a hall at Gendarmerie Squadron 48 under a strong security operation. The space, not originally prepared for a trial, was conditioned by Federal Justice personnel to house the 30 defense attorneys, 17 defendants, prosecutors, and the public present.
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Witnesses summoned | 186 |
| Expected duration | More than 4 months |
| Defense attorneys | 30 |
| Total defendants | 17 |
The trial has 186 witnesses summoned and is expected to last more than four months. The seven defendants from the "lunch group" face charges for abduction and concealment of the minor: María Victoria Caillava, Carlos Pérez, Laudelina Peña, Antonio Benítez, Mónica Millapi, Daniel Ramírez, and Walter Maciel. The other ten accused are charged with obstruction of the investigation.
This Wednesday, June 17, at 9:30 AM, the hearing will resume with the reading of the accusation against members of the so-called "hotel band," the group that presented themselves as members of the Lucio Dupuy Foundation and, according to the prosecution, sought to divert the investigation. Additionally, Loan's parents, José Peña and María Luisa Noguera, are expected to testify, as well as possibly Mariano Peña, one of the child's brothers.
Loan Danilo Peña disappeared on June 13, 2024, at 1:52 PM in the hamlet of El Algarrobal, Corrientes, during a family lunch. The main hypothesis indicates the child was taken from the location and hidden in a Ford Ranger pickup truck owned by Carlos Pérez and Victoria Caillava. The case has drawn massive national attention in Argentina, where child disappearances remain highly sensitive given the country's history of state terrorism during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
