Families and relatives of human rights victims and members of human rights groups distribute flyers of wanted fugitive Jovito Palparan, Jr., and other wanted personalities in the Philippines.
MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 4, 2012) – Filipino human rights groups have asked the support of the public to help find a former army general accused of extrajudicial killings of political activists in the Philippines.
The human rights organizations Karapatan, Hustisya and Desaparecidos have asked those commuting to the provinces to help find fugitive Jovito Palparan Jr. in places where they are spending the Lenten Season.
Relatives of the victims of human rights violations and members of the three organizations went to several bus stations in Quezon City to distribute “Wanted Palparan” flyers. The action was part of the so-called “People’s Manhunt” on the former major general that was launched three months ago when the Malolos Regional Trial Court issued a warrant of arrest against Palparan.
“The Aquino government should show grit, consistency and seriousness in arresting criminals and human rights violators such as Palparan and his co-accused Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario. The delay in their arrests puts across the message that government and military officials are being exempted from arrest under Aquino.”
“We hope that this will not happen in the case of Palawan ex-governor Joel Reyes accused in the murder of Gerry Ortega,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan spokesperson and co-convenor of the End Impunity Alliance.
“Malacañang may have backtracked from its ‘out-of-deference to (Reyes) previous government post’ position, but the statement reflects the government’s attitude on rights violations and justice issues,” she said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
“This is the reason why (former President and now Congresswoman) Gloria Arroyo is still in the hospital instead of a regular jail; why Palparan and his right-hand man Hilario are still at-large; and why Joel Reyes has the gall to say that he is not hiding from the authorities but simply ‘hiding in the hearts’ of the Palaweños. Such brazen acts indicate the extent of the prevailing climate of impunity that emboldens these public officials to simply shrug off accountability because they can go scot-free anyway,” Palabay said.
She said unless Palparan, Reyes and their likes are put to jail and prosecuted by the government, it will only continue to encourage those in the government and in the Armed Forces of the Philippines to perpetrate human rights violations and perpetuate impunity.
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