Lament, dismay and widespread condemnation greeted a Bulacan court’s
decision to transfer former Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan from the
Bulacan provincial jail to detention under the eyes of his comrades in
the military.
In a statement, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chairperson Elmer Labog
condemned the move, saying it was a form of “special treatment” for the
controversial military official linked to the disappearance of activists
during the previous administration.
“Transferring Palparan to an AFP camp is like setting him free,” Labog said
“The special treatment given by the Aquino government proves that it
has no intention at all of giving justice to Palparan’s victims and of
punishing those who have committed human rights violations in the past,”
he added.
The Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) lamented Palparan’s transfer to a military detention center.
“We lament the decision of the Malolos RTC to transfer General
Palparan to the custody of the military institution from the provincial
jail,” said Nardy Sabino, PCPR secretary general.
Sabino said the transfer “displays the dominance of military rule over a civilian supremacy.”
The PCPR official said victims of human rights should be the ones being secured by the government and not the violators.
“We demand that security be given to the human rights victims and their family and not to the violators,” he said.
Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of Karapatan, said the Aquino
regime and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will never ever allow the
likes of Palparan to be jailed, “because the arrest and jailing of
Palparan is an indictment of the whole AFP, which abounds with Palparan
clones.”
Palabay added that the Aquino regime does not care for the safety and
security of its citizens, citing the pervading criminality and
continuing rights violations.
“Yet, The Butcher Palparan, with hundreds of victims of human rights
violations, gets top priority for protection, not unlike the treatment
the plunderers get in this rotten regime,” Palabay said.
Atty. Edre U. Olalia, National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL)
secretary general, said Palparan’s transfer to a detention center run by
the military is a big mistake.
“If we allow the highest military officer ever to be criminally
indicted and arrested for very serious human rights violations to just
come ‘home,’ we miss the singular opportunity to show and prove to all
and sundry that the system still really works after all,” Olalia said.
He said that like a vacationing retiree surfing for the best holiday
spot, Palparan is seeking to impose his choice of where to stay and
insisting on military facilities.
“In court, he practically went on fickle flip-flopping shopping for a
detention of his liking, first proposing the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI), then the ISG/Philippine Army Custodial Center, then
the PNP Custodial Center, and now the Intelligence Service of the Armed
Forces (ISAFP) Custodial Center. What, pray tell, will stop him from
seeking custody at the General Headquarters of the AFP in the end?”
Olalia said.
“Palparan’s dithering disrespects and trivializes the legal processes
and betrays what little reverence he places on judicial processes. How
he seeks to be detained in military facilities, clothed with the same
impunity which licensed him to abuse power and commit acts as charged,
is just like coming home, complete with virtual bodyguards. We would
have gone full circle if this is countenanced under any guise or
excuse,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malacanang said it respects the court’s decision to
transfer Palparan to a military detention center at Fort Bonifacio,
Taguig City.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the court may have its reasons for transferring Palaparan.
“First of all, the court may have decided on peculiar reasons or,
rather, unique reasons for issuing the transfer,” Lacierda said.
“Perhaps those concerns were raised before the Malolos Court, and
based on that, they decided to change the place of detention of General
Palaparan,” he said.
Lacierda also said the Palace is not against the transfer of Palparan.
“If it will help secure the safety of General Palparan, if it will
help ensure that the trial will continue against General Palparan, then
we certainly respect [the decision]… We’d have nothing to say against
the Malolos court,” he said.
