Mothers’ grief: No closure until daughters bodies found – dead or alive

Concepcion Empeño (left) and Erlinda Cadapan, mothers of missing UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, hold pictures of their daughters. RODEL ROTONI/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Despite the court’s guilty verdict on retired Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., the mothers of the two missing students of the University of the Philippines (UP) still found “no closure” to their ordeal until they see the bodies of their daughters – dead or alive.

Concepcion and Erlinda, mothers of Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, respectively, told ANC’s Early Edition on Monday that the conviction of Palparan is just the “first step” towards the closure.

“Hanggang po hindi po nila ililitaw at mayakap namin iyong warm body ng aming anak, I think there’s no closure yet,” Erlinda said.

“Para sa akin po, first step pa lang itong pagko-convict kay Palparan, na siya ay guilty. At ayun nga din, tulad din ni Nanay Linda, kailangan din namin na si Karen ay ma-surface. Kailangan namin makita ang katawan niya, masasabi ko na maaaring buhay man o patay kailangan natin ang katawan na pagpapatunay nga na siya ganon ang kinahinatnan niya,” Concepcion said.

“Pero hanggang ngayon at hangga’t hindi namin nakikita, walang closure sa amin, pero hanggat buhay ako, maghihintay pa rin kami,” Concepcion added.

Asked if they still believe the two students are still alive after 12 years of disappearance, Concepcion remained hopeful.

“Pwede po. Maaari pa,” she said.

Earlier, the Malolos Regional Trial Court found Palparan and two others guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention over the forced disappearance of Cadapan and Empeño.

Cadapan and Empeño were abducted in Barangay San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulacan, on June 26, 2006, after being suspected as members of the New People’s Army while conducting research for a school requirement. /kga