http://www.sunstar.com.ph/Tuesday, August 12, 2014
MANILA – Retired major general Jovito Palparan was nabbed by authorities early Tuesday after nearly three years of evading prosecution for kidnapping two missing University of the Philippines (UP) students.
Palparan, along with two others, was arrested by a composite team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-Organized Crime Division and the Armed Forces' Naval Intelligence Group at 3:30 a.m. in his hideout in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) said in an email that Palparan's capture came as the defense for two other accused military officers prepares to wrap up on August 18.
After that, it will be Palparan's turn to refute before the Malolos Regional Trial Court allegations that he had a hand in the enforced disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in Bulacan in June 2006.
"What happens thereafter will come under close scrutiny, here and abroad. Palparan must face the music and the full wrath of the furies for all the crimes credibly imputed to him - extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrests and other gross human rights violations," the NUPL said.
Lawyers of the families of Empeño and Cadapan welcomed the arrest.
"Although long in coming, it's never too late for justice to catch up," the NUPL said.
Kabataan party-list Representative Terry Ridon, however, said that Palparan’s arrest does not mean that he will be prosecuted accordingly, noting that the government has "played soft" on alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles and detained Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, and Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.
“We should also view Palparan’s case in the context of the long-drawn legal battle on the Maguindanao massacre. The Ampatuans have long been arrested. Palparan has been arrested. But the question is, when will they get convicted for their crimes?" Ridon said.
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