Mother of slain UP student wants Palparan, 3 others detained in regular jail

MANILA, Philippines—Retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. and three co-accused army officers deserve to be detained in a regular jail, a mother of one of the two University of the Philippines student-activists who disappeared back in 2006 said on Wednesday.

Concepcion Empeño, the mother of Karen Empeño and Vice-Chairperson of Families of Desaparecidos for Justice (Desaparecidos), said this in reaction to the news that Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt Edgardo Osorio were detained at the Philippine Army’s camp in Fort Bonifacio.

“What are they doing in their homebase?…Ang pagsuko ba nilang dalawa ay isang pakitang tao lang, dahil sa Army din sila ikokustodiya? (Was their surrender only for a show since they are held in custody by the Army? ” asked Linda Cadapan, Sherlyn Cadapan’s mother.

Both students disappeared in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on June 26, 2006.

The two mothers claimed that government soldiers kidnapped and illegally detained their daughters and said the military officers involved should not be “given special treatment” and instead locked away at the Malolos Provincial Jail.

“We appeal to Judge Teodora Gonzales to withdraw the granting of the transfer of detention of both Lt. Col. Anotado and S/Sgt. Osorio to Fort Bonifacio and bring them to the Malolos Provincial Jail,” they said.

The group Desaparecidos claimed the two accused military officers were not in detention if they were within the premises of a military camp.

Palparan and Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, two of the four accused military officers, have still not been found by authorities.

Information of Palparan’s surrender feelers has been rife since last week with the National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police telling the media that they have received such information from the retired army man’s emissaries.