De Lima assures Palparan will be given fair, humane treatment

Jovito Palparan undergoes routine medical check-up after arrest. Photo: Tricia Terada / Twitter

MANILA — Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima on Tuesday assured that retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan will be given fair and human treatment while detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Palparan was arrested at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday by the combined elements of the NBI Anti-Organized Crime Division and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Naval Intelligence Group.

De Lima said that Palparan was arrested, together with two others in a house in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The DOJ Chief noted that Palparan did not resist arrest, no firearms were found in his possession and that he voluntarily surrendered to authorities.

Also arrested were Grace Roa and Reynaldo Ladao for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1829, or the “Decree Penalizing Obstruction of Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal Offenders”, for harboring Palparan.

De Lima pointed out that there was no indication that Palparan travelled out of the country and that he only stayed in the Philippines while being a “fugitive from justice” for some years.

Palparan is wanted for the case of kidnapping and illegal detention filed against him by the parents of missing University of the Philippines (UP) student-activists Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.

Empeno and Cadapan reportedly went missing on June 26, 2006.

President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier offered a reward of P2 million for any information that would lead to the arrest of Palparan.

De Lima said that as of now, Palparan will be placed under the custody of the NBI while waiting for the commitment order from the Malolos City Regional Trial Court (RTC) where he should be detained.