MANILA – A mother of a missing University of the Philippines student called on President Rodrigo Duterte not to pardon retired Philippine Army Major General Jovito Palparan Jr.
Palparan and two others were found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance of Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.
Palparan was sentenced to life imprisonment along with Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado and Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio.
Empeño’s mother Concepcion feared that Palparan might be spared from jail time, especially that Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is in back in power as House speaker.
For his notoriety in the carrying out a counterinsurgency campaign under the Arroyo administration, Palparan has earned the moniker “Berdugo” (The Butcher) from among human rights activists.
“Sa nakikita ko ang ating Presidente mas mahal niya ang militar kaysa ating mamamayan,” said Concepcion. “Hihilingin ko sa Presidente Duterte na sana, itong nangyari, sana pagbigyan niya ang taumbayan na magdusa ang salarin na ito.”
A regional trial court in Malolos, Bulacan issued the guilty verdict on Monday.
“Guilty siya (Palparan). Pero nandiyan na naman sa power si Gloria (Arroyo) at ito pa ang ating Presidente. Baka gagawa sila ng paraan para makawala sa krimen na nakaatang sa kanya,” Concepcion added.
Empeño and Cadapan, branded as rebels, were allegedly abducted and tortured by Palparan’s men at the height of “Oplan Bantay Laya” when Arroyo was president.
Duterte can easily grant a pardon, according to Atty. Josalee Deinla of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers. Deinla served as lawyer of Empeño and Cadapan’s relatives.
“Granting pardon is well within the powers of President Rodrigo Duterte,” she said. “But we are hoping that the President wouldn’t use that power to grant pardon [to] Palparan.”
A presidential pardon exempts an individual from lawful punishment for a crime they were convicted for but does not erase the conviction.
“Rightful retribution will come to them and they will be made to account for their crimes, if not now, then later,” she added. “Justice, even if it is long denied, and comes in fragments, we still welcome it best affirmation of what we stand for.”/PN
