Palparan sighted; Army urges ex-chief to surrender

By Mar T. Supnad

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — Officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Central Luzon appealed Monday its former commandant, retired Major General JovitoPalparan, to turn himself in and face charges in court even as the fugitive was sighted in Bataan late this week.

“It would be better for Major General Palparan to take the opportunity of proving that he is not guilty of the accusations against him,” said a statement issued by the Army’s 7th Infantry Division.

In the same statement, the 7ID denied providing protection or refuge to the retired military officer. Palparan, along with three other officers, was tagged by investigators as allegedly involved in the disappearance of students Karen Empeño and SherlynCadapan.

This, as three teams of fully armed policemen were deployed Thursday morning and have started combing the mountainous areas of this town, in nearby Bagac and Abucay town after reports reaching the Bataan police headquarters showed that the fugitive general was sighted twice in the province, the latest of which was only last January 23.

Senior Supt. Arnold D. Gunnacao, Bataan police director, told newsmen that they have received reports that General Palparan was sighted first in the towns of Morong and Bagac last Jan. 10.

` Last January 23, Gunnacao said that he had received reports again that Palparan was seen in Abucay town.

“I already sent three teams of policemen in the areas where Gen. Palparan was sighted reportedly but this have to be verified first since this is just reports from the field without officially verified first by our own policemen,” Col. Gunnacao told this correspondent.

Members of the Bataan media have also received the same reports from unidentified citizens who have reportedly sighted the Army general along the forested areas of Abucay, Morong and Bagac.

Palparan used to be the commanding officer of the Army’s 24th IB in 80s and has since established close relationship to a number of people here.

But some doubted if Palparan can be caught alive due to his vast experience in military plus his close relationship to the military who are reportedly sympathetic to the fugitive general due to his stand against communism.

While the militants dubbed Palparan as “berdugo” for allegedly being the brain of the disappearance of a number of activities and suspected rebels during his stint, he was also regarded in high esteem by his fellow soldiers and policemen.

A court issued a warrant for arrest of Palparan for the reported killing of two female students whose bodies up to now cannot yet be located.