For NUPL, Palparan ‘self-destructed’ in final hearing on abduction raps

This photo, taken on Sept.15, 2014, shows retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. being taken to the Philippine Army Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio for processing before being transferred to the AFP Custodial Center for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in connection with the 2006 disappearance of two University of the Philippines students. (Photo by RAFFY LERMA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) believes that retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. “self-destructed” in his last court hearing on the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges over the disappearance of two University of the Philippines (UP) students in 2006.

In a text message to reporters on Thursday, NUPL president Atty. Edre Olalia said Palparan “self-destructed with his contrived and sloppy defense.”

Olalia said Palparan’s defense was “peppered with huge leaps at reckless conclusions, biased opinions and puny conspiracy theories not supported by fact, evidence, reason or common sense.”

Palparan was indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and ordered arrested by the Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC) for the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

The two were seized by suspected military personnel allegedly upon Palparan’s order in Hagonoy town, Bulacan province.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera said in a text message to reporters that Palparan maintained his innocence in the disappearance of the two UP students.

READ: Palparan maintains innocence in 2006 abduction of 2 UP studes

But for Olalia, “it’s all bare denial and blames imagine conspiracy against him.”

The NUPL chief said Palparan claimed that his organization and human rights group Karapatan were “fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front (NDF).”

“He sees red everywhere and recklessly, maliciously and baselessly blames his present woes to what he stubbornly refers to as “enemies of the State,” including human rights lawyers, human rights organizations, farmers’ groups, and the Left,” Olalia said.

“His incessant red scare perceptions as a political dinosaur should have been fossilized,” he added. /je