Ombudsman drops axe on ‘Berdugo’ for abduction

The axe of justice may finally fall on “Berdugo” (Executioner).

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday approved the filing of kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases—both non-bailable offenses—against retired Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan and eight other soldiers for allegedly illegally detaining two farmers in a military camp in Bulacan in 2007.

Aside from Palparan, infamously called “Bergudo” or the “Butcher” by political activists during the Arroyo administration, also indicted were M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario and paramilitary members Michael de la Cruz, Marcelo de la Cruz, Jose de la Cruz, Maximo de la Cruz, Randy Mendoza, Roman de la Cruz and Rudy Mendoza.

The Ombudsman likewise ordered the dismissal from service of all the accused as well as the late M/Sgt. Donald Caigas after they were found guilty of grave misconduct.

Retirement perks forfeited

As a consequence of its verdict, the antigraft body directed the forfeiture of all retirement benefits of Palparan et al. and perpetually barred them from joining the government service.

But it threw out the administrative charges against former Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., retired Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez and Palparan since they had already bowed out of the service when the complaints were filed.

Esperon was also cleared of any criminal liability due to insufficiency of evidence while the criminal charges against Caigas and Gomez were junked “in view of their death.”

The Ombudsman did not provide the media a copy of its 28-page resolution on the case and only issued a press release.

In a statement, the Ombudsman said Palparan and his former subordinates were positively identified by brothers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo as the armed men who forcibly took them on Feb. 14, 2006, in San Ildefenso town, Bulacan province.

Suspected NPA rebs

Citing the resolution signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, it said the military officials’ “concerted acts show that they agreed, expressly or impliedly, to commit the felony and forthwith decided to pursue it.”

“In the affidavit-complaint filed by (the Manalo brothers), it was narrated that (they) were forcibly abducted… (on suspicion that they were) members of the New People’s Army,” the Ombudsman said.

The Manalo brothers were “detained and tortured until their eventual escape” on Aug, 13, 2007, it added.

The Ombudsman ordered the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices to carry out fact-finding investigations in relation to the supposed involvement of other military officials and look into allegations that there were other victims in the incident.