Palace: No reason to grant pardon to Palparan

RETIRED Army General Jovito Palparon Jr. will not be sent out of jail after he was found guilty of abduction and serious illegal detention over the disappearance of student-activists Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan in 2006.

In a radio interview Wednesday, September 19, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said there was no reason for President Rodrigo Duterte to grant Palparan a presidential pardon.

Roque assured the families of Palparan's victims that the Duterte government is one with them in serving justice for Empeño and Cadapan.

"Wala pong basehan iyan. Ang nagpakulong po kay Palparan ay gobyerno. At ang gobyerno rin ang magsisiguro na mabigyan ng katarungan 'yung mga biktima (It's baseless. The government sent Palparan to jail. And the government will make sure that justice will be served for the victims)," the Palace official said.

Roque's assurance came after mothers of Empeño and Cadapan, who have been missing since 2006, feared that Palparan might be freed through Duterte's pardon.

Palparan was assigned in Central Luzon when Empeño and Cadapan of the University of the Philippines were abducted in June 2006.

The Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 15 has found Palparan and his co-accused, Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado and Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio, guilty of kidnapping the students.

The three were sentenced to suffer reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years imprisonment. They were also ordered to pay P100,000 for civil indemnity and P200,000 for moral damages for each count.

Palparan is currently detained at the Army Custodial Center in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, for his alleged role in the kidnapping and illegal detention of the two students.

Malacañang on Monday, September 17, said it respects the Bulacan court's ruling.

"We respect the decision of the court and we would want justice to be done to the victims," Roque said.