Palparan’s absence in Court tolerated by the Govt

“We fear that Gen. Jovito Palparan’s absence in the court hearings is becoming a habit that is tolerated by the Aquino government. Today’s hearing at the Malolos Regional Trial Court on the kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges against The Butcher et al proceeded, again without him,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan. 

 

Raymond Manalo, the farmer who became acquainted with the two missing UP students, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, took the witness stand today. Manalo, who was also a torture victim, testified before the court that he saw the abuses that were committed by the soldiers, against the two students, when they were in a military camp in Limay, Bataan.

 

 

Manalo also positively identified before the Court, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado. Manalo said that Anotado was one of the soldiers who frequented the camp in the company of Gen. Palparan.  Lt. Col. Anotado, one of Palparan’s co-accused, was in the courtroom to attend the hearing.  

Palabay said that, “it will be almost a year since the hearings on the case against Palparan et al have started but not a shadow of Palparan was ever seen in Court.  We want Palparan to face the court and put behind bars. The Aquino government should ensure that these hearings should go in that direction, otherwise this is just going to be an exercise in futility. We don’t want another Reyes here.” ###