Bulacan jail warden assures better security for Palparan

MANILA, Philippines - The Bulacan Provincial Jail can secure retired major general JOvito Palparan, who is facing serious illegal detention charges over the disappearance of two University of the Philippines students in 2006.

Atty. Edre Olalia of the National Union of People's Lawyers, which represents the families of missing students Karen Empeno and Sheryln Cadapan, said that the warden of the provincial jail assured the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 14 that they can provide security to Palparan.

Olalia said that the warden, however, told the court that it would need additional guards.

"The Bulacan warden manifested that they can accommodate Palparan but would need additional guards," the lawyer said.

Olalia added that during the arraignment of the kidnapping and serious illegal denteion charges against Palparan, a representative of the National Bureau of Investigation told the court that the bureau would not be able to secure Palparan.

The lawyer said said that the court  took the NBI and the jail official's manifestations and stuck with its August 13 order, instructing the transfer of Palparan from the NBI detention facility to the Bulacan Provincial Jail while the cases are being heard.

The court scheduled Palparan's pre trial on September 1.

Palparan and several military officials have been accused in the disappearance of the two UP students in 2006.

He is also accused of having ordered the execution and kidnapping of several suspected supporters of the New People's Army, which earned him the label of "The Butcher" from political activists.