Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan may have made up the minds of everyone regarding his alleged involvement in the disappearance of two University of the Philippines female students in 2006. Last Monday, the general tried to leave the country on a Sea Air flight bound for Singapore but was prevented from doing so by alert Bureau of Immigration officials. He was already on the plane when he was offloaded by BI officials. This, after the general, with all the defiance and bravado only a person of his character can deliver, stated that he was not running and would squarely face all the charges leveled against him! And to make his attempt at flight even more surreptitious, he chose to take a flight in Clark, surely thinking that he would attract less attention than if he were to exit via NAIA. Good thing he was wrong.
Flight has always been an indication of guilt. There is no reason for an innocent man to run. So this one clandestine attempt to leave the country by the infamous general may have sealed his fate, at least in the minds of many, including the suffering parents of the two students. But what has to be done now is to keep a close watch on Palparan, especially amid reports that he has since gone into hiding after the failed attempt to leave. There are many ways to leave the Philippines, not just by air. And a man like Palparan will most definitely have contacts all over the country.
What a humiliating incident for the man called the “butcher”! Caught in the act of fleeing after stating that he would not do so. Professing innocence then trying to conceal his flight. So much for this soldier. What is it about generals in the AFP nowadays? Garcia, Ligot, Palparan, and more, all with dirt or even blood on their hands? No honor, no courage, no code! All under a Commander-in-Chief who is in hot water herself! I guess they only emulated their supreme commander. If she’s doing it, we should as well?
This incident also brings to light the importance of a watch list and hold departure orders, and who should be given authority to issue them at a moment’s notice. There are people who will evade the law and have the ways and means to do it. Palparan has just shown how. At the moment, there is a temporary restraining order on the DOJ with regards to the issuance of hold departure orders. This attempt by Palparan shows that someone should always be on top of issuing said orders, to prevent those who should be accountable from running away, no matter who they are and what they promise.
Too bad the same could not have been done on Ramona Bautista!