Palace respects guilty ruling on Palparan; wants justice for Empeno, Cadapan

Malacañang said it respects the decision of the Malolos Regional Trial Court (RTC) to hand out a guilty verdict to  former Major General Jovito Palparan for kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines (UP) students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno in 2006.

“We respect the decision of the court and we would want justice to be done to the victims,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised press briefing in Benguet.

On Monday, Judge Alexander Tamayo handed down the guilty verdict to Palparan, 12 years after the disappearance of Cadapan and Empeno.

READ: Palparan guilty of kidnapping UP students

Aside from Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado Jr. and Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio were also found guilty of the crime.

The three were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, or imprisonment from 20 years and one day to 40 years. They were also ordered to pay P100,000 for civil indemnity and P200,000 for moral damages for each count.

Tamayo ordered them committed to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Empeno and Cadapan were seized by gunmen from their rented house in Hagonoy, Bulacan. /ee