Mother of missing UP student asks Palparan to tell the truth

Linda Cadapan, mother of missing UP student Sherlyn Cadapan, holds a photo of her daughter and of another student, Karen Empeno. INQUIRER.net photo / Faye Orellana

The family of University of the Philippines (UP) student Sherlyn Cadapan urged on Friday former Army Major General Jovito Palparan to speak out the truth concerning the student’s disappearance in order for the family to start the process of “moving on.”

According to Linda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, it was not enough for Palparan to be jailed at the national penitentiary after being found guilty of kidnapping.

“Nakakagaan ng loob na naparusahan yung salarin pero andiyan pa rin ang hinahanap namin,” Linda told INQUIRER.net in an interview.

“Ang importante ay malaman namin kung anong nangyare sa aming anak, kung saan nila dinala, kung anong ginawa nila,” she added.

The mother said that the only thing that would make the family to move on from this harrowing experience is to know the underlying facts on the disappearance of her daughter.

Linda also said she would go to the place where her daughter was supposedly killed to personally get the bones of Sherlyn.

“Kung maaari po, dalhin nila kami doon at kami na ang mamumulot ng gutay-gutay na buto ng aming mga anak,” she said.

Sherlyn, together with Karen Empeno, disappeared in 2006 after being kidnapped by Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, Jr. and Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.

All three were convicted in September after the Malolos Regional Trial Court ruled that the three of them were guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the case of the UP students.

READ: Palparan guilty of kidnapping UP students

Linda also revealed that her life changed since the conviction of Palparan in September.

According to her, she received a number of death threats and was constantly being followed by unidentified men wherever she go.

“Kung noon man, medyo magaan ang buhay dahil makapagtrabaho nang maayos, makakatulong sa income ng pamamahay, makakatulong sa mga apo, sa mga anak, eh ngayon totally wala,” she said.

Given the following circumstances, Linda said that she recently consulted a paranormal expert to know the state of Sherlyn.

Based on the words of the paranormal expert, Sherlyn and Karen were killed after being shot in the back.

Their dead bodies were then brought to a “jungle” where ordinary people could no longer reach, Linda said.

Despite the hunting effect of Sherlyn, Linda said that she has already accepted that her daughter is now gone.

“Sa ngayon, parang inaccept ko na na wala na si Sherlyn kasi kung siya ay buhay pa, siya ay nasa hirap pa eh. Yung araw-gabi iniisip kong tinotorture siya, so tinuldukan ko yun para isipin ko na ‘okay, wala na siya, para hindi na siya tinotorture ng ganon,'” she said. /jpv