Jovito Palparan whereabouts questioned over returned court notices

MANILA, Philippines — Human rights groups and relatives of two disappeared students from the University of the Philippines (UP) are demanding transparency over conflicting reports on the whereabouts of convicted former Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan.

Palparan was convicted in 2018 for kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño.

He was then transferred to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), one of the seven penal colonies under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

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READ: Palparan guilty of kidnapping UP students

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This year marks the two decades since the two were taken by military forces in Bulacan, which was under Palparan at that time, 2006.

Human rights groups Karapatan and Desaparacides as well as relatives of Cadapan and Empeño said Palparan might no longer be at the NBP after official court notices sent to him were returned unserved.

They said the unserved envelopes bore postal annotations such as: “Moved out (transferred to BuCor-Baguio) and “Moved out to PMA (Philippine Military Academy) Baguio.” On the other hand, a staff from Bilibid said Palparan was simply taken to a hospital.

“The varied answers raise renewed suspicions of special treatment for Palparan,” Desaparacidos spokesperson JL Burgos said.

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“The PMA in Baguio is neither a BuCor facility nor a hospital,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said. “If he had indeed been brought there, we demand the BuCor’s explanation. We also demand that he be recommitted to the NBP Maximum Security Compound where he should be. There must be no special treatment for the butcher Palparan.”

Meanwhile, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang denied the transfer rumors.

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He said Palparan remains within the NBP premises.

“Any transfer of inmates, especially high-profile individuals like Palparan, follows strict protocols and involves proper documentation, none of which has been recorded for the retired general,” Catapang said.

Catapang reassured the public and the concerned parties that the BuCor maintains transparency and accountability in managing the custody of all inmates. /das

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