MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 28, 2011) – The human rights group called End Impunity Alliance has on Wednesday criticized the transfer of custody of two military men – from a court in Bulacan province to the Philippine Army -who are among the accused in the kidnappings of two Filipino students.
The two army men, including former Major General Jovito Palparan, have been implicated in the disappearance of political activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno in 2006.
Manila has offered a P500,000 reward for the capture of Palparan. Another soldier, Sgt. Rizal Hilario who is also accused in the kidnappings, is still at large.
Cristina Palabay, convenor of the alliance, said the army’s decision to take custody of Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and Sgt. Edgardo Osorio is highly irregular as both should remain in an ordinary civilian detention facility, not in the comfortable confines of their military camps.
She said this was done without the knowledge of the complainants – the families of the missing students and their counsels.
“We decry this form of special treatment, as if the undue delay of the arrests of Palparan and Hilario is not disturbing enough. We demand that they be brought to a civilian detention facility and that Palparan and Hilario be immediately arrested and jailed in a similar institution,” she said.
Reports recorded by human rights group Karapatan cited 39 cases of extra-judicial killings, 11 attempted killings and 5 enforced disappearances in his stint in the Southern Tagalog Region.
Palparan was then commander of the 8th Infantry Division in Samar where he raised the record of 25 extra-judicial killings, 9 attempted killings, and 12 enforced disappearances. Some 7,250 individuals, 5,223 families in 141 communities fell victims to intensified militarization. Also as commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division assigned in Central Luzon, Karapatan has documented 77 victims of extra-judicial killings, 15 attempted killings and 42 enforced disappearances.
“His record speaks for him, his statements betray his guilt, and his motives are laid bare to the public including the international community,” Palabay said.
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