Erlinda Cadapan and Concepcion Empeño, mothers of abducted University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, filed a Manifestation before the Supreme Court seeking to compel the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to disclose the present whereabouts of retired Major General Jovito Palparan following reports that he has been transferred to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City.
To recall, in 2018, Palparan was convicted of the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Sherlyn and Karen. His conviction marked a significant milestone in the long-fought struggle for justice by victims of enforced disappearances and human rights violations.
However, throughout the trial and even after his conviction, Palparan has repeatedly enjoyed privileges and special treatment unavailable to ordinary persons deprived of liberty. For years, he was detained at Fort Bonifacio rather than in a regular detention facility, purportedly due to alleged threats to his safety. Reports also indicate that after his transfer to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), he was not committed to a regular prison cell alongside other inmates. Only a year after he was convicted, Palparan was likewise allowed an on-camera interview while serving his sentence and facing another criminal trial, despite strict rules governing media access to persons deprived of liberty and the absence of any known court authorization.
Reports that Palparan has now been transferred to the PMA are deeply alarming. As a prisoner serving a sentence of reclusion perpetua, he should remain confined at the Maximum Security Camp of the NBP in Muntinlupa City.
Allowing a convicted perpetrator of grave human rights violations to receive extraordinary accommodations sends the wrong message—that accountability may be evaded by those with power or connections. It diminishes the hard-won victories of victims and their families, who have endured years of pain and suffering in their pursuit of justice.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) stands with the families of Sherlyn Cadapan, Karen Empeño, and with all victims of enforced disappearance in demanding full disclosure of Palparan’s whereabouts. ###
