Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 6) — A Malolos court on Friday cleared retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. in the abduction and torture of two farmer siblings in 2006.
The Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 19 acquitted Palparan in the case filed by brothers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with serious physical injuries.
The farmers, whom authorities suspected of being communist rebels, were abducted from their homes in San Ildefonso, Bulacan 17 years ago. In 2007, they managed to escape their captors, whom they accused of torturing them.
In a statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) lamented the Malolos court’s decision, calling it a “disappointing outcome.”
Activists have dubbed Palparan as “The Butcher” for his deadly crackdown on suspected communists during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
“Simply unbelievable if not disturbingly shocking,” NUPL chairperson Edre Olalia wrote in response to the acquittal.
The NUPL served as private prosecutor in consolidated criminal cases against Palparan and several other ranking military officers to exact accountability for the kidnapping of the Manalo brothers.
“Let this day be recalled as a day when justice failed for those missing, tortured and killed in utter contempt of due process and humanity,” Olalia said.
The human rights group Karapatan also condemned the dismissal of the charges, which it said invalidated the sufferings endured by the victims.
“Clearly, the case of the Manalo brothers is a dire example of how lopsided the justice system is, making it extremely hard for brave ordinary folks like Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo, to pursue justice, and demand accountability from all perpetrators of enforced disappearances, torture, and all other human rights violations,” its statement read.
Palparan is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison.
In 2018, he and two other military officers were convicted by the Malolos RTC Branch 15 for the 2006 abduction and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan. The students remain missing to this day.
Raymond Manalo stood as a key witnesses, saying he saw Palparan with Empeño and Cadapan in a military camp where he was also detained. According to Manalo, the two students were tortured and sexually abused during their captivity.
