MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 8, 2014) – Filipino families of two women who were allegedly abducted by government soldiers accused the military of delaying the court proceedings as the search for those accused in their disappearance remain at large.
A former military general, Jovito Palparan and other army officers implicated in the disappearance of two Filipina student-activists Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan eight years ago, have not been arrested as other accused continue to delay the hearing of the cases against them.
The students were said to have been abducted by elements of military under 7th Infantry Division and are still nowhere to be found despite of the resolution released last December 2011 by the Panel of National Prosecution Service, charging retired Palparan, retired Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado, retired Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, and Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio with two counts of Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention.
A court has issued a warrant for Palparan’s arrest two years ago and families of the victims are demanding justice.
“Puwede bang tigilan na ng militar ang kalokohang ito. Nagpapakahirap kaming makapunta sa korte tuwing hearing tapos ay lolokohin lang kami ng mga militar na ito,” (Will the military please stop fooling us. We attend every hearing however difficult it is for us only to be fooled by them.) Linda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, angrily said at the end of the hearing of the kidnapping case filed against Palparan’s group.
Cadapan and Karen’s mother, Concepcion Empeño , have jointly filed the case for the disappearance of their daughters. The victims’ mothers have been begging the government to act on their grieve and arrest Palparan, who remains in hiding.
The defense counsel of the accused in the case failed to present their witness for the 5th time at the hearing at the Malolos Regional Trial Court in Bulacan province.
Atty. Jose Cruz, lawyer of Osorio, did not show up “because of an emergency matter in the family.”
Also, Atty. Abner Torres cited the “military units where the witnesses belong to will not shoulder the transportation expenses to bring the witnesses (soldiers) to court because there was no subpoena.”
But the subpoena was issued to the witnesses as early as November 2013. However, Torres said the witnesses are already deployed in Jolo town in Sulu province in southern Philippines and in Isabela province in northern Philippines. Torres is counsel to Anotado.
“Hindi nila pwedeng idahilang walang pamasahe kasi maraming rekurso ang militar. Nasa kanila ang mga helicopters, tangke, at maraming sasakyan sa dami ng budget nila. Obligasyon nila na ipresent ang witness nila nang walang delay. Palibhasa wala silang maipakitang witness,” Cadapan said. (They cannot say they don’t have the money to transport their witnesses. It has all the resources—helicopters, tanks and all kinds of vehicles—withthe huge budget it has. It is their duty to bring their witness without delay).
Empeño said: “Itong si Palparan ay hindi pa rin nadadakip habang kung sinu-sinong mga tao ang pinaghuhuli ng gobyernong Aquino na wala naman kasalanan. Wala talagang maasahan sa gobyernong ito.” (While the Aquino government continues to arrest innocent civilians, Palparan remains free. We cannot expect anything from this government).
Cadapan reminded the public to be on the look-out for Palparan and help in his arrest, “muli, ako ay nanawagan sa lahat na agarang tumulong sa pag-aresto o paghuli sa salarin na dumukot kina Sherlyn at Karen, pumatay kay Manuel Merino at sa maraming mga aktibista at tagapagtanggol ng karapatan ng mamamayan.” (Again, I appeal to the public to help in the arrest or to effect arrest to the abductors of Karen and Sherlyn, killed Manuel Merino at many other activists and defenders of the people’s rights)
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