Statement of Solidarity with NUPL Action against Major General Jovito Palparan

The Haldane Society supports the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers' actions against Maj Gen Jovito Palparan.

The arrest warrant against Gen. Palparan and three other military personnel was issued by the Malolos Regional Trial Court on December 19, 2011. After a month-long manhunt by government law enforcement agencies and after a P1-million bounty has been put up for his capture, the actual whereabouts of the retired general are yet to be known. Palparan's co-accused and sidekick M/Sgt. Rizal Hilario is also still at large.

The victims and families have been waiting for justice for the longest time. There are prevalent doubts from the victims and their families whether the Pnoy administration itself has in fact made any serious, systematic and concrete effort to initiate the effective and genuine investigation and prosecution of human rights violators of the past and the present. "We hope several other victims will, on their own, persist to throw the book at Gen. Palparan and his kind for the most horrific rights violations," said Liz Davies, Chair of the Haldane Society.

The NUPL is the private prosecutor in the case of Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention against Gen. Palparan and his co-accused , involving the disappearance of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. The NUPL is also the counsel of human rights victims Raymond Manalo, Oscar Leuterio, Melissa Roxas, Ericson Acosta, and the Morong 43 health workers, among others.

Liz Davies
Chair Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers