Missing students' moms urge court: Don't let Palparan stay at NBI

MANILA, Philippines - The families of missing University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sheryln Cadapan on Thursday urged a local court in Bulacan to deny the request of retired Army major general Jovito Palparan to be allowed to stay at the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) detention facility.

Linda Cadapan and Connie Empeño, the missing students' mothers, also branded Palparan as a coward and a liar.

"Palparan is a coward and a liar," the mothers said  in reaction to Palparan's motion to the Malolos Regional Trial Court to let him stay at the NBI's jail facility in Manila.

Palparan is facing serious illegal detention and kidnapping charges over the disappearance of the two UP students in 2006.

The local court had ordered Palparan's transfer to a regular jail in Bulacan.

The students' mothers said that Palparan would be defying a court order for his transfer of detention while the cases against him and other fellow soldiers are being heard.

"He [Palparan] said he is prepared to be jailed anywhere. But now, he is again defying  the court order. Before the warrant of arrest against Palparan came out, he said he is ready to face his charges. Instead he went into hiding for almost three years," they said.

They fear that getting justice for their daughters will be bleak if the court grants Palparan's plea.

Rights group Karapatan expects that the court will rule on the motion before Palparan's scheduled arraignment on August 18.