Group claims Palparan hiding in military camp

MANILA, Philippines - Families of victims of enforced disappearances on Wednesday claimed that fugitive retired general Jovito Palparan has been hiding in a military camp to elude the warrant of arrest issued by a Bulacan court for the kidnapping charges against him.

"We believe he is hiding with the help of top military officials, who are powerful, to provide sanctuary in their own camps. We still get persistent reports that Palparan is hiding in one of the largest camps in the Philippines," Lorena Santos, secretary general of Families of the Desaparecidos for Justice, said.

"We dare the Aquino government to open all military camps and facilities and surrender Gen. Palparan," Santos said.

She said the government 's failure to bring Palparan to face trial for the criminal case before a court only bolsters suspicions that the former military official is being harbored by the administration.

"Unless and until Palparan is arrested and will face the court, President Aquino becomes part of the cover up to protect the butcher. He, thus, becomes part of the continuing crime of enforced disappearance and should be liable under the Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act, " Santos said.

Santos added that the arrest warrant against Palparan has been issued three years ago, but has never been served to him.

"No one believes the Aquino government’s claim that it is doing everything to catch Palparan. Because if Aquino really had the will, Palparan should have been behind bars today,"Santos added.

"The government only created an illusion that the case against Palparan was moving forward. Even Aquino's P2-million reward money that will lead to the arrest of Palparan is just for show," she said.

Palparan's case stemmed from charges of kidnapping and illegal detention filed by mothers of missing University of the Philippines student-activists Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

The two were abducted in June 2006 in Hagonoy, Bulacan while on a research about peasant struggles in the area. Witnesses of the abduction said that they were taken, tortured and raped by soldiers under Palparan's command.

Palparan also faces complaints in the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights for the abduction, torture, and murder of Southern Tagalog human rights worker Eden Marcellana and peasant leader Eddie Gumanoy.