Palparan may seek refuge in Zamboanga Sur; authorities on alert

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Fugitive retired major general Jovito Palparan may decide to seek refuge in Zamboanga del Sur and police and civilian officials of the province said they were monitoring his presence there.

Jovito Palparan Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Governor Antonio Cerilles said Palparan’s family operated a security agency in the province.

The security agency – Bente Kwatro Oras – works for mining firm Bayog 9 Metals and maintains an office in Pagadian City.

Cerilles said before Palparan eluded his arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the 2006 disappearance of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in Hagonoy, Bulacan, the former military officer had repeatedly visited the province.

The latest was about four months ago, he said.

“But we have not seen him in Zamboanga del Sur recently,” Cerilles said.

Bayog Mayor Leonardo Babasa Jr. said he had given instructions to monitor the presence of Palparan in the mining area of Conacon, where Bayog 9 Metals operate.

“We will immediately inform the police if he is seen there. He had been declared an outlaw and we don’t want to be accused of coddling a wanted person,” Babasa said.

Chief Superintendent Mario Yanga, officer-in-charge of the Western Mindanao police office, said the Zamboanga del Sur police had not monitored Palparan in the province as of Thursday.

Yanga said the Zamboanga del Sur police would immediately arrest the fugitive former military officer if he had fled there.

He also said that the manhunt against Palparan had become nationwide now.

“We are all following the instruction issued by our PNP Chief Director General [Nicanor Bartolome] to locate and arrest him,” Yanga said.