Army denies hiding Palparan

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Philippines—The Army’s 7th Infantry Division on Friday denied coddling retired Major General Jovito Palparan, who has eluded arrest since December 20 to face trial on charges of kidnapping and illegally detaining two University of the Philippines students in Bulacan in 2006.

“The [Armed Forces] is a professional organization composed of disciplined and law abiding soldiers,” the 7th Infantry Division said in a statement. “It is not the policy of the AFP to coddle and provide safe harbor to any person wanted by law.”

Major Enrico Gil Ileto, the unit’s public information officer, said the statement was in reply to allegations published recently in the media.

Until his retirement on September 11, 2006, Palparan commanded the unit, which operates in Central Luzon.

Palparan should “turn himself in and answer all allegations hurled against him,” the statement said.

“It would be better for him to face the case and take the opportunity of proving that he is not guilty and that he is innocent,” it added.

Soldiers have been instructed to “inform proper authorities if they will spot General Palparan in their duty assignments,” the statement said.

The Army says it has intensified its surveillance efforts, this time in Aurora, because of reports that Palparan has been sighted there.

Colonel Felicito Trinidad, commander of the 702nd Infantry Battalion based on Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, ordered the 48th Infantry Battalion to investigate these reports on Wednesday, but he said “we have yet to get anything about [those sightings].”

Ricardo Diaz, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Luzon, said “no positive leads have turned up yet” on the whereabouts of Palparan.

On December 19, immigration personnel at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport stopped Palparan from boarding a plane bound for Singapore.

Judge Teodora Gonzales of the Bulacan Regional Trial Court issued on December 20, 2011 warrants for the  arrest of Palparan and three soldiers still in active duty, who were implicated in the abduction of Sherylyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño.

Army Colonel Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio have surrendered through the provost marshal while the third, M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, who is supposedlyPalparan’s trusted aide, remains at large.