Prress statement ! Victims, relatives and rights groups calls for vigilance vs. Palparan’s maneuvers

Press Statement
August 18, 2014

Reference:    Cristina “Tinay” Palabay, Secretary General, +63917-3162831
                        Angge Santos, Media Liaison, +63918-9790580
 

Even before the trial has started, the BS Aquino government and the AFP have expressed exaggerated concern for The Butcher Palparan—his safety and security, the so-called trial by publicity and on the day before Palparan faces the Court, the Malacañang statement that Palparan is “innocent until proven guilty.”

“The bias is obvious. We hope that these statements do not set the tone for the outcome of the case against Palparan, the possibility of a detention in a military camp, and whatever special privileges and concessions to delay delivery of justice to the victims and save The Butcher. Also, the government should have applied this ‘innocent until proven guilty’ dictum to those who were killed extrajudicially and to those who were jailed without warrants and on false charges,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.

Human rights groups, people’s organizations accompanied the victims and relatives of victims in a protest rally in front of the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 14 where Palparan is expected to appear today for his arraignment. “We are here to tell the government that we remain vigilant against any maneuvers by Palparan and his protectors in the government for him to get away from his accountability. He should be swiftly convicted and end up in jail,” said Palabay.

The rallyists brought with them photos of Palparan’s victims—from Southern Luzon, Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas.

Palparan ignored the Court order to put Palparan at the Bulacan Provincial Jail. He has instead filed a motion to stay at the National Bureau of Investigation where he “feels safe”. 

Aside from Palparan’s arraignment and hearing his motion to stay at the NBI, the Malolos Court is also set to hear the last witness for Palparan’s co-accused, Col. Felipe Anotado. The case would have been submitted for resolution last June but the Court decided to give the defense another chance to present its witness. The defense has failed to present its witness for 11 months now, starting September 2013.

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Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights

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Web: http://www.karapatan.org

KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.