'Travesty of justice': Kin of disappeared students say Palparan interview a 'desperate attempt to vindicate rights violators'
MANILA, Philippines — Mothers of disappeared University of the Philippines students slammed Wednesday's interview by Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy of convicted retired general Jovito Palparan, calling it “a cheap, desperate attempt to vindicate criminals and rights violators.”
To recall, the Malolos Regional Trial Court found Palparan guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.
During that time, Palparan earned the moniker “The Butcher” from human rights and activist groups for the disappearances and deaths attributed to his campaign against suspected communists.
“It is nauseating, to say the least, to see Palparan and this Badoy trying so hard to salvage the face of the berdugo for two hours, when Palparan is now a convicted criminal. The courts have convicted him, with overwhelming evidence and witness testimonies, for taking away our daughters. What a travesty of justice!” Concepcion Empeño, mother of Karen, said in a statement.
Badoy, also spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, interviewed Palparan in a program aired over the SMNI News Channel and shared by the NTF-ELCAC, the government's anti-insurgency task force, on its official Facebook page.
In the interview, Badoy herself said the program was conducted to “vindicate” Palparan. She went on to claim that the conviction of Palparan was founded on "trumped up charges."
"The reason why we have invited you is of course to honor you, to vindicate you, and to show the Filipino people the harm that the [Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People's Army] has done to us," she said.
'Why interview a convict?'
In the joint statement sent to media Thursday afternoon, Empeño also questioned why the interview was allowed in the first place.
“They gave the convicted Palparan all the freedom to speak to the public. How about our daughters, did he give them a chance to speak and defend themselves? No! They remain missing to this day, for 15 years, while Palparan is alive and well,” Empeño said.
Desaparecidos, the organization of families of victims of enforced disappearance, also questioned allegations of special treatment that Palparan is enjoying while at the New Bilibid Prison om Muntinlupa, where he is sentenced to serve reclusion perpetua under maximum security.
Erlinda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, condemned the NTF-ELCAC which she said "has further sown injustice and rights violations [resulting in] many more victims after our daughters and even after the likes of Palparan was put to jail.”
“Palparan continues to vilify our daughters and justify their abduction and disappearance...never should any person be subject to enforced disappearance,” Cadapan said.
"This act of Palparan, and Badoy, is a cheap, desperate work of thieves. They stole our daughters, and those who continue to employ abduction and enforced disappearances should be held accountable for the rest of their lives, like what they did to us, as we remain searching for our missing loved ones."
Badoy, Quiboloy under fire
In the past week, Badoy has found herself on the receiving end of multiple administrative complaints filed before the Office of the Ombudsman over her red-tagging of Vice President Leni Robredo in her capacity as a member of the Presidential Communications Operations Office and NTF-ELCAC.
SMNI is owned by Apollo Quiboloy, the spiritual adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte who has been indicted for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.
The so-called media outlet regularly reports misleading and false claims, gives platforms to politicians who make unfounded remarks, and red-tags government critics and activists despite lack of substantial evidence.
“The NTF-ELCAC is mocking the partial justice we attained by holding accountable Palparan on the disappearance of Karen and Sherlyn. This is why we are one in its abolition because with the continued existence of NTF-ELCAC, the government continues in its systematic red-tagging of activists and persons resulting in real-life harm on them,” said Cadapan.
"We call on whoever will be elected president to abolish the NTF-ELCAC, to help the victims of killings, enforced disappearances and other rights violations, and to see to it that the likes of Palparan, Badoy, red-taggers, human rights violators and ‘butchers’ will see their day in court."
Karen and Sherlyn have yet to be found to this day.
— Franco Luna with a report from Kristine Joy Patag
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