Retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan. AP
MANILA, Philippines—A “liquidation squad” was formed by the New People’s Army (NPA) to assassinate detained retired General Jovito Palparan, known as “the Butcher” for allegedly killing a number of members of the communist group.
Palparan’s lawyer Narzal Mallares told this before the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 14 Judge Teodora Gonzalez as he pleaded that his client be allowed to stay at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In his three-page ex parte motion to stay in detention filed Friday, Mallares said Palparan’s life will be in harm’s way if he will be transferred to the Bulacan Provincial Jail as ordered by the Malolos Court who handles the kidnapping and serious illegal detention case against Palparan for the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.
Mallares was citing an intelligence report coming from the Philippine Army. He, however, refused to give further details on the report.
“My client knows that the threat against him is real,” Mallares said.
Palparan, at a press conference last Tuesday said he was branded by the left-leaning group as a “dead man walking.”
Meanwhile, Edre Olalia, secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, which is helping prosecute Palparan, said they would oppose the motion during the former general’s arraignment on Monday, August 18.
Olalia said the law requires an accused person to be detained at the police station detention cell or jail nearest the court trying the case.
On the other hand, NBI Director Virgilio Mendez said it will comply with the order of a Bulacan court judge to transfer Palparan to the Bulacan Provincial Jail, even if the threats against the former army serviceman life are “very high, very valid” and despite the opposition of the high-profile detainee.
At a press conference, Mendez said they had already sought the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to secure Palparan since intelligence reports confirm serious death threats against the detainee.
Mendez said the NBI plans to transfer Palparan from the NBI detention to the Bulacan provincial jail as soon as possible as the bureau understands the immediacy of the court ruling.
“[The risk] is very high, very valid… That’s why we have to be extra careful. We can’t just disregard all these information… perhaps everyone is well aware of those,” he said.
“We understand that it should be immediate, but first and foremost is the security of the subject,” he said.
Asked if the security for Palparan is similar to the convoy of businesswoman Janet Napoles whenever she goes to court, he said: “We can’t discuss the details… As long as we can ensure the safety of the subject.”
He said there is no special treatment for Palparan.
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