Peru’s Supreme Family Prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into congressman Julián Luis Pérez Mallqui on suspicion of assault against a woman and a member of his family group. The alleged victim is Laura Bonilla Valerio, his former partner.
Pérez Mallqui, a member of the Juntos por el Perú party, has been held at the San Miguel police station since the morning of Thursday, July 31. Officers detained him after Bonilla Valerio filed an initial complaint of psychological violence. While she waited at the station, police heard a noise from the room where the lawmaker was sitting and found him striking her. The station commander observed marks on the victim’s arms and ordered the legislator’s immediate arrest.
The case was transferred to the Supreme Family Prosecutor because Pérez Mallqui holds a congressional seat, which under Peruvian law requires a senior prosecutor to handle the investigation. A lower court prosecutor specialising in violence against women had first reviewed the file on July 30 before determining he lacked jurisdiction and forwarding it upward.
15 urgent steps ordered
Supreme prosecutor Luis Carlos Arce Córdova set a 15-hour deadline to complete 15 urgent investigative steps. Police must take statements from the officers who detained Pérez Mallqui, identify witnesses, inspect the scene, and request any available security-camera footage.
Arce Córdova also ordered two parallel medical examinations: one to assess the physical condition of the alleged victim and another for the detainee himself, to verify the police account. The victim is also to receive a psychological evaluation, a risk assessment for continued violence, and comprehensive support from the local Centro de Emergencia Mujer.
Investigators will additionally review Pérez Mallqui’s judicial, criminal, and police records, as well as any prior protective orders between the two parties. The main case documents will be sent to a family court, which must decide whether to issue new protective measures for Bonilla Valerio.
Party weighs maximum sanction
The Juntos por el Perú parliamentary group issued a statement rejecting all forms of violence and pledging to monitor the investigation closely. Senator Jaime Quito told RPP that the caucus had no knowledge of the complaint or the arrest until the case became public, and called for the facts to be fully established as quickly as possible.
Senator Víctor Cutipa described the case in general terms as questionable and, in his words, condemnable, while stopping short of taking a position on the specific allegations until more details emerge.
The caucus spokesman, congressman Ernesto Zunini, took the firmest stance, saying the party would seek the maximum sanction against Pérez Mallqui if physical or psychological assault is confirmed. He added that a party lawyer had already visited the San Miguel station, and that the caucus planned to meet to decide next steps, including forming an Ethics committee to consider a possible suspension during the investigation.
