MALOLOS, Philippines – The Regional Trial Court Branch 14 here yesterday granted the plea of retired general Jovito Palparan to set the hearing on his petition to post bail for his temporary liberty.
Palparan has been charged with kidnapping with serious illegal detention for the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherilyn Cadapan.
The former military officer’s camp said that the evidence against him is not enough to deny the retired general the right to post bail and enjoy temporary liberty while the case is being heard.
The prosecution panel had claimed that the former Army general has no right to post bail on charges that are not bailable.
The court has set the bail hearing on Dec. 8 while the preliminary conference for the case has been set on Oct. 27.
Palparan attended the court proceedings while members of militant groups assembled in front of the RTC building. Supporters of the retired general also arrived to support him.
The members of the militant groups rushed to the back of the RTC building when they realized that Palparan would be using the backdoor to exit the building.
The security escorts of Palparan immediately brought the defendant to the waiting van that brought him back to the Army detention cell.
Lawyer Edre Olalia, a private prosecutor, told media that there is sufficient evidence for the case of kidnapping with serious illegal detention filed against Palparan.
He added that the petition for bail filed by Palparan is just one of his tactics to get out of jail.
The families and supporters of the two missing UP students expressed dismay over the court’s decision.
The court had earlier denied the petition of the prosecution to return Palparan to the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology instead of the Philippine Army custodial center in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
The case of Palparan’s co-accused Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio is now ready for resolution, but the case of Palparan is just starting. Another co-accused, Sgt. Rizal Hilario, remains at large.
Anotado and Osorio earlier surrendered to military authorities.
DOJ denial
The Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors yesterday denied accusation by militant groups that they were giving special treatment to Palparan.
Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, head of the DOJ panel handling the criminal cases against Palparan, said their decision not to join the move of private prosecutors to oppose the transfer of Palparan to the Army custodial center in Fort Bonifacio was based on a valid ground. – With Edu Punay