ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro on Saturday expressed disappointment on the recent acquittal of retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan in the abduction and torture case of Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo.
Castro, a member of the Makabayan Bloc, said the decision casts doubt on the justice system’s commitment to hold human rights violators accountable.
“The acquittal of General Palparan is a grave injustice to the victims and their families. It sends a chilling message that those who commit heinous crimes against innocent civilians can evade punishment,” Castro said in a statement Saturday.
The Malolos City Regional Trial Court Branch 19 on Friday acquitted Palparan on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with serious physical injuries.
Complainant Raymond Manalo is a surviving witness-victim in the kidnapping of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.
In 2018, Palparan was convicted of kidnapping and serious illegal detention for the disappearance of Cadapan and Empeño.
According to Castro, the acquittal of Palparan “is also especially worrisome considering this acquittal occurs in an environment of red tagging and terrorist labeling, the NTF-ELCAC as well as the ballooning confidential and intelligence funds.”
Julie De Lima, Interim chairperson of the NDFP Peace Negotiating Panel The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said he found the
acquittal of Palparan incongruous with creating the necessary conditions for the resumption of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.
De Lima said the dismissal of charges against Palparan runs counter to every principle of human rights and international humanitarian law.
Prospects to resume the peace talks become less clear as the GRP continues to demonstrate its flagrant disrespect for the basic principles of justice by allowing criminals like Palparan to run free with impunity.
Under Article 4 of the GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), the GRP
commits to “remove the conditions for violations and abuses of humanrights and to render justice to and indemnify the victims.” The GRP’s
exoneration of Palparan therefore violates CARHIRHL and is a clear indication of the reactionary state’s utter disregard to uphold the rights of its own citizens, much more ensure that justice is served.
While disturbing, Palparan’s acquittal is not entirely shocking. The reactionary justice system has long coddled war criminals like Palparan and Rodrigo Duterte. Despite having been indicted for gross human rights abuses in Mindoro, Eastern Visayas and Central Luzon during his tenure as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s henchman and main implementor of the bloody Oplan Bantay Laya, Palparan has consistently received special treatment in prison.
Consistent with the principles enshrined in CARHRIHL, the NDFP through the People’s Democratic Government reserves the right to hold Palparan
and other war criminals accountable and render justice for victims of all violations and abuses of human rights.