Palparan unfazed by HR raps

TACLOBAN CITY — Unfazed by calls for his immediate removal for alleged human rights abuses against ordinary Samareños, Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, is bent on crushing the communist insurgency in Samar.

"That is my mission here, and I have to follow orders from my superiors… We are here to protect the lives of the people and not to harm them…These people are just wasting their time," he said.

Palparan was referring to the International Solidarity Mission (ISM), composed of 18 delegates from seven countries, which was here for a three-day mission to investigate alleged killings, harassment and violations of international humanitarian laws by the military in Samar.

But Palparan denied the allegations, saying the Samar folk have themselves condemned the "evils of communism" in big protest rallies.

"Wala naman talagang nangyayaring (There are really no) human rights (violations) in my area of concern… Prove it and bring this matter to court and we will answer. Huwag ’yong puro lang drama, sawa na ang tao diyan (Stop the drama, the people are fed up with it)," he said.

In a press conference, the ISM said the delivery of health and social services have been hampered by the continuing anti-insurgency campaign of the 8th ID based in Catbalogan, Samar.

Under the 175-day leadership of Palparan to date, the ISM claimed that 513 cases of alleged human rights violations have been committed against 7,250 people in the entire Eastern Visayas.

The foreign group found it alarming that the data meant that three cases of human rights abuses were being committed every day.

The ISM questioned the claim of Brig. Gen. Roberto Ver, commanding officer of the 901st Infantry Brigade, that the military has in its possession evidence that communist rebels were using local chapters of party-list group Bayan Muna as fronts.

Roberto de Castro, in-charge of Bayan Muna’s national organizing committee disputed this, saying the military "has a history of being inconsistent."