Lawyer Luis Hermosilla confirmed on Tuesday, October 13, as he left Santiago's 4th Guarantee Court, that former President Sebastián Piñera paid him and his colleague Samuel Donoso quarterly during his administration. He also acknowledged that he took part in Antonio Ulloa's appointment to the Santiago Court of Appeals.
According to BioBioChile, Hermosilla spoke to the press after the court postponed the trial preparation hearing until March 1, 2027, at 09:00. At that stage, the judge reviews the charges and evidence before sending the case to trial. According to The Clinic, the hearing concerns the investigation into him in the Factop and Audios cases. Hermosilla has been formally notified that he is under investigation in the Audios case, meaning the Prosecutor's Office formally informed him that it is investigating him. So far, no judgment has been issued against him.
Journalists asked him about a T13 report that revealed his fifth statement to the Prosecutor's Office, given in late August. "I have no problem, nor did I ever have any problem, acknowledging something that is true," he replied. He then added that the payments had been acknowledged before the Prosecutor's Office and that this did not constitute an irregularity.
The Clinic quoted parts of that statement. According to the text, Hermosilla said each lawyer received 100 UF per month. The UF (inflation-adjusted unit) is a unit of account adjusted for inflation. The money was delivered in cash every three months. According to his account, it was brought by Andrés Sotomayor, a member of La Moneda's Second Floor (the President's team of direct advisers).
In the same statement, Hermosilla said it was Piñera's initiative to pay them for the legal work they performed. He said there was no negotiation or contract, that he did not issue receipts and that he did not know the source of the money. He also maintained that he never discussed those payments directly with the former president. According to his account, then Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick informed him about the remuneration.
On judicial appointments, Hermosilla said he once received a WhatsApp message containing certain names. He said he replied that he was not interested in intervening in that matter. However, he acknowledged one exception: his involvement in Antonio Ulloa's appointment to the Santiago Court of Appeals.
Regarding the other appointments, Hermosilla said everything had been clarified by Héctor Meri, then director of the Ministry of Justice's Legal Division. The sources do not, as yet, include a response from Chadwick, Sotomayor, Donoso, Ulloa or Piñera's circle.
The judicial proceedings will continue on March 1, 2027, when the 4th Guarantee Court resumes preparation for Hermosilla's trial.
