Palparan to face more charges after gov’t finds probable cause for kidnapping Bulacan farmers

From the Business World (Jul 24): Palparan to face more charges after gov’t finds probable cause for kidnapping Bulacan farmers

RETIRED MILITARY general Jovito S. Palparan, Jr. will be facing more charges in court after the Ombudsman found probable cause for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges involving two Bulacan farmers in 2006.

Eight other incumbent military officials have been also charged and were ordered dismissed from the service after the anti-graft unit uncovered links to the abduction of farmers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo in San Ildefonso, Bulacan nearly a decade ago.

Based on investigations, state probers found that Mr. Palparan led the abduction of the two farmers after being suspected to be members of the rebel group New People’s Army on Feb. 14, 2006.

They were reportedly “detained and tortured” for more than a year until Aug. 13, 2007 when they escaped from the lair.

The retired army general, also known as “the Butcher”, was arrested in August 2014 after three years in hiding.

Mr. Palparan is currently in prison pending trial for the kidnapping of two University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who went missing in 2006.

The two were conducting field research on the plight of Bulacan farmers when Mr. Palparan abducted them.

The Manalo brothers are the key witnesses presented before the Malolos Regional Trial Court branch 14 to pin Mr. Palparan to the charges, as they reportedly saw Mr. Palparan and other military men torturing the two women, who were their co-abductees.

The eight other military officials tagged in the charges were T/Msgt. Rizal Hilario and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) active auxiliaries Michael Dela Cruz, Marcelo Dela Cruz, Jose Dela Cruz, Maximo Dela Cruz, Randy Mendoza, Roman Dela Cruz, Rudy Mendoza, and K/Sgt. Donald Cagias.

Mr. Palparan is known for his vigorous anti-communist campaigns.

They were ordered dismissed after the Ombudsman found them guilty of grave misconduct. As a result, their work and retirement benefits were forfeited.

Additional investigations will also be rolled out by Ombudsman probers to see if any other uniformed personnel took part in the supposed kidnapping.

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=palparan-to-face-more-charges-after-gov&8217t-finds-probable-cause-for-kidnapping-bulacan-farmers&id=112237