Palparan will fall sooner or later—Robredo

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said Thursday the police have received reports that fugitive Jovito Palparan was under the protection of his “former colleagues” in the military but all their leads to his whereabouts have turned out negative.

In a briefing at the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Quezon City, Robredo said the Philippine National Police had received reports that former colleagues of Palparan were helping him evade the authorities.

He said he was not sure if they were the retired major general’s superiors or subordinates as Robredo was not familiar with their batches in the “Academy,” referring to the  Philippine Military Academy, but they were no longer in the active service.

“We have no reports that he has left the country,” Robredo said of Palparan.

He said the P1 million prize for information leading to Palparan’s arrest has not produced any clues to where he might be hiding, but Robredo said it was a good sign that more reports were coming in.

“We believe that sooner or later we will be able to get him,” Robredo said.

Palparan is wanted for trial in connection with the disappearance of student activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño more than five years ago.

Along with retired M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, he is charged with the kidnapping and illegal detention of Cadapan and Empeño, who disappeared in Hagonoy, Bulacan,  in 2006 and have not been seen since by their families or friends.

Anotado and Osorio surrendered to the authorities a day after a Bulacan court issued  warrants for their arrest last month but Palparan and Hilario went into hiding.