Militants Hold Rally Against Palparan

BY RAYMUND VILLANUEVA
Correspondent
Bulatlat

Militant organizations held a rally before the House of Representatives to oppose the possible assumption of office of retired Lieutenant General Jovito S Palparan as party list representative.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kadamay and human rights organizations Karapatan, Hustisya and Desaperacidos slammed Palparan as a “butcher” and is not deserving of a government post.

“Palparan has blood in his hands. He was commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army when my son Jonas was abducted nearly two years ago. Demons like him belong in jail, not in Congress,” Desaperacidos president Edith Burgos said.

“What underrepresented sector will Palparan represent in Congress? We know for a fact that soldiers were ordered to put up posters and actively campaigned for Palparan’s group Bantay in the 2007 elections. His link to Malacanang is beyond doubt,” Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes added.

The groups urged Congress to reject Palparan following a recent Supreme Court decision ordering the assumption of office of 32 more party list representatives that includes Palparan as Bantay first nominee. They said that Congress only needs to look into the (Philip) Alston and Melo Commission reports to disqualify him from assuming any government position. Instead, they urged Palparan’s prosecution for his “crimes”.(Bulatlat.com)