MANILA, Philippines - The long arm of the law finally caught up with retired military general Jovito Palparan Jr., who is facing kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in connection with the disappearance of two students in 2006.
Palparan, who evaded arrest for three years, was nabbed by government forces at around 3 a.m. Tuesday in a house of a family friend along Teresa St. in a busy area in Sta. Mesa, Manila, officials said.
The high-profile suspect, known for his strong stance against communism, was placed under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“Siguro ginuhit sa tadhana na nahuli si Gen. Palparan. (Perhaps it is destiny that Gen. Palparan is arrested),” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.
Officials, however, admitted that capturing Palparan was not an easy task.
“We are soldiers and we were taught that we should not be captured. Perhaps he was able to use the tactics and techniques on escape and evasion,” Gazmin said.
Prior to his arrest, Palparan was said to have sought refuge in Bataan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Cagayan de Oro.
“There were many attempts that were made in the past together with the NBI but we failed and finally, there was a breakthrough with the splendid effort of our NISF (Naval Intelligence and Security Force),” Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año said.
Palparan was tagged as the brains behind the disappearance of students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, who went missing in Bulacan in 2006. Militant groups have labeled him as “the butcher” for his alleged involvement in the killing and disappearance of activists who are critical of the government.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 14 in Malolos, Bulacan issued the arrest warrant against Palparan in 2011. The Philippine National Police offered a P2-million reward for his arrest the following year.
‘Naisahan niyo ako’
Año said Palparan has been staying in the house of his friend Grace Roa for three months.
The fugitive general was spotted withdrawing money from a nearby automated teller machine before he was arrested.
“They served the warrant (of arrest) in the house of a certain Grace Roa. The warrant was served and Gen. Palparan really did not resist the arrest,” Año said.
“In fact, he was joking with our operatives and he was saying “ang gagaling nyo, naisahan nyo ako kasi medyo naging very lax ako (You were good. You put one on me because I was very lax),” he added.
Año said the arrest would provide Palparan an opportunity to face the allegations against him and to defend himself in court.
“At the same time, (this will allow him to) attend to some of his health concerns because he has been suffering from various illnesses so this is the time for him to be able to have a good proper medical checkup,” he added.
Año said Palparan has been suffering from heart problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the political wing of the New People’s Army (NPA), said Palparan’s arrest was long overdue.
“Thousands of victims of General Palparan’s campaign of terror have long demanded justice for the crimes and abuses perpetrated by the fascist troops of the AFP under his command,” the CPP said in a statement.
“Palparan’s campaign of terror was directed against unarmed activists among the ranks of peasants, workers, students and other oppressed sectors who helped organize the downtrodden masses to enable them to defend their rights and advance their democratic interests,” it added.
CPP claimed Palparan “maintained and directly commanded a death squad which carried out abductions, torture and extrajudicial killings against activists and suspected supporters of the revolutionary movement.”
Military officers confirmed that Palparan had strong sentiments against communist insurgents when he was in the service.
“He (Palparan) was really an agreessive officer who really have strong anti-communist (views) and he really did his job well,” Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang said.
AFP: Palparan did not hide in camps
Año added that no active soldier coddled Palparan while he was a fugitive.
“He has many friends in the military because he was a very good officer when he was in service but nobody from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is coddling him,” the intelligence chief said.
“He has never sought refuge in any military camp,” he added.
Año is also convinced that Palparan did not get help from retired military officers.
“From the time he became a fugitive, he cut his communications with his colleagues. In fact he seldom used cellphones,” he said.
Catapang said Palparan’s arrest would not send a chilling effect to soldiers combating insurgency.
“My marching order to soldiers is defeat the enemies of the state without commiting human rights violation and committing collateral damage,” Catapang said.
“We don’t tolerate human rights violations,” he added.