UMVA has learned that families of desaparecidos have filed a powerful motion before the Supreme Court demanding the truth about retired Army General Jovito S. Palparan’s whereabouts.
The petition, lodged by the relatives of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, raises alarms that the notorious general, convicted of kidnapping and illegal detention, may have slipped from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Palparan’s 2018 conviction tied him to the 2006 abduction of the two UP scholars while they were researching farmers in Bulacan, a crime that earned him a sentence of reclusion perpetua, or 20 to 40 years behind bars.
In a sharp rebuttal, Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang, Jr. denied any transfer, insisting Palparan remains securely confined at NBP under strict custodial protocols that demand complete documentation before any inmate movement.
Catapang emphasized that no records exist indicating a relocation, and that any change in Palparan’s detention status would be communicated through official channels, underscoring BuCor’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, representing the families, joined the Supreme Court filing, urging authorities to enforce full transparency in the application of the final conviction and to uphold proper custodial procedures.
The families have long contended that Palparan’s placement in non-regular detention facilities betrays the seriousness of his crimes, arguing that those guilty of grave human rights violations deserve no special accommodations.
To reinforce its stance, BuCor released recent photographs of Palparan in custody, dated March 31, 2026, alongside a statement affirming his continued confinement at the national penitentiary.
