CA allows transfer of Palparan to army custodial center

From the Sun Star-Manila (May 2): CA allows transfer of Palparan to army custodial center

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the Malolos City Regional Trial Court's September 2015 ruling that allowed the transfer of retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan Jr. from a Bulacan provincial jail to the Philippine Army Custodial Center at the Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

The decision dated April 15, allows the transfer of Palparan to PACC while his criminal cases are being tried.

In a decision promulgated on September 15, 2014, Malolos City RTC granted Palparan's request to be transferred custody because of alleged threats on his life by the New People's Army (NPA).

The former Army general, who was arrested in Manila on 2014 after three years of hiding, is facing charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the disappearance of two University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.

The decision of the lower court prompted the camp of the abducted UP students represented by their relatives Erlinda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño to ask the CA to reverse the ruling of the lower court.

The CA however dismissed their petition.

In its decision penned by Justice Jhosep Lopez of CA 15th Division, the court held that "the public respondent's orders were issue with legal and factual basis, and carried with it a practical consideration".

CA has also found "no patent and gross act amounting to a capricious exercise of judgment that is correctible by the extraordinary writ of certiorari."

Palparan was tagged as "berdugo" or the butcher of human rights activists and the leftist group for being the chief architect of alleged abductions of political activists during his term in the military.

According to human rights group Karapatan, during his stint as the Commanding Officer of the 7th Infantry Division in Mindoro, there were 71 victims of extrajudicial killings, 14 victims of frustrated killing, and five incidents of massacre.

Karapatan, in a report also said that Palparan allegedly orchestrated the killing of human rights defenders Eden Marcellana and peasant leader Eddie Gumanoy in Southern Tagalog, UCCP Pastor Edison Lapuz in Leyte, Atty. Fedelito Dacut in Leyte and the Supreme Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2016/05/02/ca-allows-transfer-palparan-army-custodial-center-471227