Palace respects court decision allowing Palparan transfer

By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo - 10 years ago

Retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday said it respects the Malolos regional trial court if it believes transferring retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. to a military facility would help ensure his safety.

“The court may have decided on peculiar reasons or, rather, unique reasons for issuing the transfer,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a Palace briefing.

He said safety issues were most likely raised during the hearing on Palparan’s detention.

“If it will help secure the safety of General Palparan, if it will help ensure that the trial will continue against General Palparan, then we certainly respect (it),” he said.

“I’m sure that the Malolos Court had reasons why it ordered the transfer,” he said.

Activists and families of the students allegedly abducted by Palparan and his men slammed the court’s decision on Monday, saying the military “seeks to protect its own.”

“The move smacks of special treatment for a notorious human rights violator. Palparan would be right at home at the Army HQ (headquarters),” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes said.

Meanwhile, Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay accused the military of lobbying for the transfer.

Palparan is facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges for allegedly masterminding the abduction of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.