Missing UP students alive, says Palparan lawyer

Jovito Palparan Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CITY OF MALOLOS—A lawyer representing retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. on Monday told a Malolos City regional trial court (RTC) the two University of the Philippines (UP) students, whose abduction and disappearance in 2006 were allegedly ordered by the former Army officer, were still alive.

But RTC Branch 14 Judge Teodora Gonzales questioned the authority of lawyer Jesus Santos to represent Palparan and ruled that the information he offered on missing UP student activists Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, unless backed by proof, could not be accepted by the court.

Santos asked the court to put on record the information he supposedly obtained on Sunday indicating that the two students were alive.

“Last night, I was informed the two missing students are still alive. I will inform the authorities of this [and ask them] to check if this is true. It will spare the good general (Palparan) of the charges filed against him,” he said.

But Gonzales refused to accept Santos’ statement.

“The court will not take that statement or revelation as true as of this time unless the two missing students are presented [alive to the court],” she said.

Gonzales also pointed out that Palparan’s counsel on record was lawyer Narzal Mallares.

But Erlinda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, who was in court Monday, said she did not believe Santos. Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon, and Jerome Aning in Manila