By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – The kidnapping and serious illegal detention case against retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr continued today, Feb. 18, as soldiers accused in the enforced disappearance of two students of the University of the Philippines presented a witness before a Bulacan court.
Julian Oliva Jr. of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) told Bulatlat that Col. Felipe Anotado presented the provincial engineer of Bataan, Enrico Yuson as his witness.
Yuson testified before Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 15 that he knows Anotado very well and that they worked on several projects together.
But Oliva said they opposed Yuson’s testimony that there is only one military camp in Bataan.
“He is not competent to testify on that,” he added.
In a related development, accused retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan refused to accept legal aid from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines chapter in Bulacan province.
Oliva said Palparan does not trust lawyers, whom he believe only push the case against him, rather than “protect him.”
Still, IBP Bulacan chapter president Arni Topico assisted Palparan for today’s hearing. Judge Alexander Tamayo said he will appoint a lawyer next time.
Erlinda Cadapan, mother of Sherlyn, asked the public to continue praying for her missing daughter. Sherlyn celebrated her 29th birthday yesterday.
Sherlyn and fellow UP student Karen Empeno have been missing for nearly 10 years now. 
