Retired Army major general Jovito Palparan stays in jail.
This after Malolos judge Alexander Tamayo rejected Palparan Jr.’s appeal against his conviction for his alleged involvement in the serious illegal detention and kidnapping and disappearance of two student-activists in 2006.
Tamayo, of Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 15, is the same judge who last month sentenced Palparan and two of his co-accused soldiers to reclusion perpetua after finding them guilty in connection with the abduction and disappearance of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.
The two students remain missing 12 years after their abduction.
Palparan co-accused in the case were Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.
The three were ordered to indemnify the family of the missing with P100,000 in civil damages and P200,000 as moral damages.
In denying Palparan’s motion for reconsideration last Oct. 19, Tamayo said the former Army general failed to raise new arguments “to outweigh the settled position of the court.”
The retired Army officer is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after a Bulacan RTC ordered his immediate transfer from the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the Malolos, Bulacan RTC, Branch 15, junked the motion of Palparan seeking to defer his commitment in the national penitentiary pending resolution of his motion for reconsideration on his conviction.
With the court ruling, Guevarra said that there is no more reason for Palparan to stay with AFP’s custody.
“I have personally discussed the matter with AFP chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., who assured me that the AFP custodial center will immediately comply without prejudice to the resolution of any further judicial review,” the Justice secretary said.