News release | “See you in court” Desaparecidos welcomes arrest but demands Palparan to be in a regular jail

Reference: Aya Santos, Desaparecidos secretary general, +63908-812982

"Families of the disappeared should see Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan in Malolos Court on Monday, August 18, in the hearing of the case against him. There is no reason why he should not be there," said Lorena “Aya" Santos, secretary general of Families of Desaparecidos for Justice.

"While we welcome butcher Palparan's arrest, we remain more vigilant to see through that justice be served soon," Santos said. Palparan is currently facing charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention at the Malolos Regional Trial Court for the abduction and disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.

Palparan is accountable for at least 59 victims of enforced disappearances: five victims in Mindoro, 42 victims in Central Luzon, and 12 in Eastern Visayas.

"Palparan's arrest comes in such a convenient timing to pull up BS Aquino's falling trust ratings," Santos said. "As BS Aquino is being made accountable for the unconstitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and many other issues, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested one of the most wanted men who have eluded arrest for more than two years; and, eight years after the Karen and Sherlyn were abducted, tortures and disappeared," Santos said.

"Let this be not an attempt to gain pogi points for BS Aquino government. It is because of the courage of the mothers of Karen and Sherlyn and the popular call of the people for justice that Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe  Anotado and Sgt. Edgardo Osorio are now face charges in court," Santos said. M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, also a co-accused in the case, remains to be a fugitive.

"We demand that Palparan be imprisoned in a regular jail and not in a military custody," Santos ended. ###

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