2 UP studes saved from ‘disappearing’

ANGELES CITY – Eight years after two coeds of the University of the Philippines (UP) were allegedly kidnapped and tortured by the military under the command of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, comes a similar story in the same setting but with a different end.

This time, the victims were later turned over to the police.

Cecille Ruiz, head of the human rights group Karapatan in Central Luzon, identified the victims as Gerald Salonga, a graduating psychology student of UP, and Guiller Martin Cadano, a business management graduate, also of UP.

Ruiz said Salonga and Cadano were kidnapped by Army soldiers in Barangay Padilla in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija at around 3 p.m. last Saturday.

“The two were watching a movie as part of their integration activities in the barangay when they were kidnapped by soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Battalion who arrived in two pickup vehicles,” she said.

Upon learning of the incident, Ruiz, Bayan-Central Luzon secretary general Eco Dangla and other representatives from non-government organizations formed a fact-finding mission that motored yesterday to Carranglan.

“On our way there, we received information that Salonga and Cardano were brought to Cabanatuan City for the filing of cases so we proceeded there,” Ruiz said.

She said they found the victims at the police station in front of the Nueva Ecija provincial police headquarters in Cabanatuan.

“The two were charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives. The explosives charge was added in order to disqualify them from posting bail because it’s a non-bailable offense,” she noted.

Ruiz quoted Salonga and Cardano as saying that they were immediately blindfolded by their captors and were pressured to declare themselves as members of the New People’s Army.

“They denied that the hand grenades found in their bags were theirs. They said these were planted,” she said.

Salonga is reportedly the regional spokesperson for Kabataan party-list group.

In 2006, also in Nueva Ecija, two female UP students – Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan – were allegedly kidnapped by the military upon orders of Palparan, who has since retired and is now in hiding. The two students remain missing.