Palparan appeals conviction

CITY OF MALOLOS — Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., who was convicted on Sept. 17 of abducting activists Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006, is not giving up without a fight.

In a 60-page motion for reconsideration he filed on Sept. 19, Palparan disputed the “flawed testimonies” that the court cited in its decision.

Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio were sentenced to life imprisonment by Judge Alexander Tamayo of the Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 15.

Empeño was a sociology student, while Cadapan was enrolled in a sports science course at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City when they disappeared in Hagonoy town on June 26, 2006.

‘Erroneous appreciation’

The motion filed by Palparan’s counsel, lawyer Arturo Cabides, urged the court to review its decision because of the court’s “erroneous appreciation of the written statements and testimonies of witnesses for prosecution.”

The motion zeroed in on state witness Raymond Manalo, a brother of a slain New People’s Army (NPA) rebel, who said in his testimony that he had “plenty of reasons and ulterior motives to demolish the three accused, all being in the military.”

“It was just part of [Manalo’s] job to destroy General Palparan because Manalo is under the protection and support [of the Communist Party of the Philippines and National Democratic Front],” Palparan said in the motion.

“The Manalo family in Barangay Bohol na Mangga in San Ildefonso town [Bulacan] is known to be an NPA family,” he added.

Palparan is also standing trial for a separate kidnapping case filed by Manalo and his brother, Reynaldo, who were taken by soldiers on Feb. 14, 2006.

In his motion, Palparan described the Manalo brothers’ allegation as a “fabricated abduction” and challenged many of the prosecution’s testimonial evidence, saying some of it presented in court showed inconsistencies.

The retired general also questioned the inclusion of Anotado and Osorio as defendants.

He said Anotado was “suddenly implicated” after he appeared as resource person during a hearing in January 2008 on a writ of habeas corpus filed by the parents of Cadapan and Empeno.