'Just tell the truth'

MALOLOS CITY ,Philippines –“Stop playing with our emotions and just tell the truth.”

This was the message of Erlinda Cadapan, the mother of Sherlyn Cadapan, one of the two missing University of the Philippines (UP) students to retired Army General Jovito Palparan, who claimed on Friday that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not coddling him.

 In an interview over radio station dwSS yesterday, Cadapan reiterated her challenge to Palparan to surrender and prove his innocence, instead of issuing statements through his counsel Jesus Santos.

“He is just playing with our emotions. He has been telling a lot of things through his lawyer. He should just show up and tell the truth,” Cadapan said.

He also challenged Santos to identify the source of his information that Sherlyn and Karen Empeño are still alive.

Santos earlier said that he received information that Sherlyn and Empeño might still be alive. He added that there would be no case against Palparan if the two students were found alive.

However, Cadapan said that if her daughter were alive, she would make sure that her kidnappers would be held liable for their actions.

Cadapan’s counsel Edre Olalia, meanwhile, said Palparan is turning things upside down. He said it is “maddening” for the retired general to claim that he is a victim with regard the disappearance of the two UP students.