Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts

Vol. VI, No. 28      Aug. 23, 2006      Quezon City, Philippines

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Court Asked to Issue Warrant vs Palparan

By Jhong dela Cruz
Posted 4:40 p.m., Aug. 23, 2006

The parents of two missing students allegedly abducted by the military asked the Court of Appeals to issue a warrant of arrest for Army commander Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, who again failed to appear at the habeas corpus petition hearing today.

Palparan snubbed for the fourth time the hearing for the habeas corpus petition filed at the Court of Appeals 12th Division by Erlinda and Asher Cadapan, and Concepcion Empeño, the parents of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan, 29 and Karen Empeño, 23.

The parents of the missing students accused elements of the 56th Infantry Battalion of abducting Cadapan and Empeño, and local farmer Manuel Merino from a house in Hagonoy, Bulacan, on June 26. The 56th IB is under the 7th Infantry Division headed by Palparan. The controversial army official is among the five respondents being asked by the appellate court to give information on the abduction of the three.

The petitioners' lawyer Rex Fernandez filed an omnibus motion that would order Palparan to be bodily brought to court for questioning, and asked the court chaired by Associate Elvi John Asuncion to issue a warrant of arrest.

Another respondent, former Northern Luzon Army commander and now Phil. Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, also failed to appear at the hearing along with one Arnel Enriquez. Only Lt. Col. Rogelio Boac, commander of Task Force Malolos and Lt. Francis Mirabella Samson, were present in today's hearing.

During the hearing, lawyers for Palparan presented a medical certificate which said that the general is suffering from an acute viral infection since Aug. 15 and would need to rest for 10 days.

Fernandez said Palparan's condition apparently didn't prevent the general from attending media engagements, noting that the army official was interviewed several times on television.

Fernandez said he will also file a motion to cite Palparan for contempt when the hearing resumes on Sept. 7 .

Juan Paolo Alfonso, UP student council chair blamed Palparan's absence for the snail-paced court proceedings. He said that the general should testify in court his pronouncements that the military has no custody of the two UP students. Bulatlat

 

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