Press Release

October 31, 2012

“It’s not just the money”

Aquino government must exercise political will to arrest Palparan – mother of Sherlyn Cadapan

“Malaking halaga na ang dalawang milyon para magkainteres ang sinuman na hanapin at hulihin ang berdugong si Palparan. Pero hindi lang ito tungkol sa pera.Kailangan ng political will.” (Two million is a lot of money for anybody to be interested to look for and eventually catch the butcher Palparan. However, it’s not just the money. This is about the Aquino government’s political will) This was the statement of Linda Cadapan, mother of missing University of the Philippines student Sherlyn Cadapan, on reports that the Aquino government’s track teams have gone clueless on the whereabouts of retired Gen. Jovito Palparan, despite the bounty for him, along with five other fugitives: Palawan Governor Joel Reyes and brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, Dinagat Island Representative Ruben Ecleo Jr. and Delfin Lee of Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corporation.

Cadapan continues to lament the fact that only two among the four accused in the case of her daughter, and that of Connie Empeño’s daughter, Karen. are behind bars and facing prosecution.

“We have sought the government’s assistance in locating and arresting Palparan and M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, but it is almost be a year since the two have gone hiding, Despite the government’s resources and machinery, Palparan and Hilario have managed to elude arrest,” she said.

“I never gave up on looking for my daughter and Karen, even if I don’t have the resources. I continue to possess the will to take up this cause, together with others families. I am extremely disappointed that the government claims that they have done to catch the fugitives yet, these fugitives remain scot-free. Unless and until Palparan et al are behind bars, the government has no right to brag,” Cadapan said.

As soon as a warrant was released for the arrest of Palparan, the parents of Karen and Sherlyn called for a people’s arrest of Palparan and Hilario. Together with family, friends, supporters and human rights groups, they put up posters of WANTED PALPARAN around Metro Manila and the provinces.On November 2, All Souls Day, Mrs. Cadapan will join other mothers and relatives of the disappeared at the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran to remember their missing loved ones, just as she has been doing since Sherlyn was disappeared in 2006. ###

Reference:
Lorena ‘Aya’ Santos, Deputy Secretary General
Contact Number: 09175230396

‘Too little, too late’

Hike in bounty for Palparan, other fugitives draws flak

By Tonette Orejas
Inquirer Central Luzon

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Empty tokenism.

Human rights lawyer Edre Olalia has regarded President Aquino’s doubling of reward for the capture of retired Army major general Jovito Palparan Jr. in this light.

Retired Major General Jovito Palparan now finds himself on the other side of the fence as the once hunter is now the hunted after a warrant for his arrest was issued by a local court for his supposed role in the alleged abduction of two student activists in 2006. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

“At first blush, it seems to be a positive step and should be welcomed by everyone desperate to see that justice is done. But ultimately, it is not key or decisive,” said Olalia, counsel of the parents of missing University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who were abducted in Bulacan in 2006.

“The amount and the move are still too little and too late and are empty tokenism especially with the continuing killings, disappearances and other rights violations and impunity,” Olalia said.

“As long as he is coddled by people who sympathize with his warped sense of duty and right and as long as P-Noy desists and defaults from clear, strong and decisive use of his broad and extensive powers and resources to seriously and doggedly run against rights violators, Palparan will continue to thumb his nose while playing golf.”

The families of the abducted students also said the increase in the bounty was useless.

“They do not need to raise the reward. What they need is to arrest him immediately,” Erlinda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, said.

Concepcion Empeño, mother of Karen, echoed the sentiment.

“If Malacañang said they are not happy that the fugitives have not been arrested, we are all the more dismayed. However, we think that the raise in the bounty is useless if they will not look for them. What they should do is to exert all efforts to genuinely look for them,” Empeño said.

Lawyer Ricardo Diaz, director of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Luzon, said the seven-month search for Palparan, dubbed by activists as “butcher,” had yielded negative results.

A lot of money

Diaz said the P2 million “is a lot of money and would encourage informants to come out.” “Hopefully we will receive new information to work on. Please tell people to contact us. We will drop everything to work on leads they will provide. We will protect their identities,” he said.

Two of Palparan’s coaccused, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, are detained at Fort Bonifacio. Another soldier, M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario, remains at large.

Housing developer Delfin Lee is also the subject of Malacañang’s bounty, but his lawyer, Willie Rivera, said it was an “inappropriate” response from President Aquino.