FORT MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, January 24, 2012-A top military official here in Central Luzon called its former commandant, retired Major General Jovito Palparan, to turn himself in and face charges in court.
“It would be better for fugitive Palparan to take the opportunity of proving that he is not guilty of the accusations against him,” MGen Jose Mabanta Jr. said in his statement as the chief of the 7th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The division likewise denied protecting the fugitive retired officer who served as its commandant from Sept. 1, 2005 to Sept. 11, 2006.
"The AFP is a professional organization composed of disciplined and law abiding soldiers. It is not the policy of the AFP to provide safe harbor but to surrender any person wanted by law particularly man in uniform," as per statement of Mabanta.
The division assured that its soldiers will inform authorities "if they spot General Palparan in their duty assignments."
General Palparan, along with three other officers, was allegedly involved in the disappearance of students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan of the University of the Philippines.
Also included in the case were Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario, Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio and Army Col. Felipe Anotado.
Osorio and Anotado are now under government custody which was facilitated by AFP while Hilario is still nowhere to be found like General Palparan.
The statement also stated that Palparan is already a retired military general. The AFP has no hold on him being a civilian.
It also furthered that the AFP has already facilitated the turnover of the two (2) active personnel identified as LTC Atonado and Ssg Osorio to the authorities for proper disposition.
“We fully trust the justice system and believe in the due process of law. The AFP believes that retired Mgen Palparan should turn himself in and answer all allegations hurdled against him to face the case and take the opportunity of providing that he is not guilty and that he is innocent,” the statement furthered.
“Our unit commanders have disseminated the lookout bulletin handed down by Army headquarters and our soldiers will inform proper authorities if they will spot Palparan in their duty assignment,” the statement ended.
Prior to this, the 7th ID quickly dispelled reports of Palparan’s presence here in a beach resort where the messages spread like wild fire.
702nd Brigade Commander Col Virgilio Trinidad said that it was a hoax and disinformation campaign intended to put the Army and police in bad light.
The police and the army troopers conducted surveillance and search operations in all beach resorts in the province of Aurora looking for Palparans’ possible presence which resulted that the information was erroneous report. (Jason de Asis)
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