Palparan acquitted on kidnapping, illegal detention charges

MANILA, Philippines — Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan has been acquitted by the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 19 on charges of kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and serious physical injuries.

The charges had been brought against him a decade ago by farmers Raymond and Reynaldo Manalo.

Accompanied by their legal representatives from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) and the parents of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño, the Manalo brothers were shocked by the unexpected verdict.

NUPL, who have been advocating for the Manalo brothers, expressed their disbelief at the court's decision, calling it "unbelievable." 

“It would be tremendously difficult to explain to the Manalo brothers, the parents of still missing Karen and Sherryl and countless others he had red-tagged and victimized how they cannot seek legal redress despite the 'credible, categorical and convincing' accounts that even the appellate courts have priorly established,” Edre Olalia, chairman of the National Union of People’s Lawyers said in a statement.

“It is even a huge challenge to make sense of how he can be earlier convicted mainly on the basis of the testimony of the same witness survivor by one court and years later would be acquitted on the same testimony in a separate case brought by the same said witness survivor in another court,” the statement added.

The legal dispute centers on Raymond Manalo's testimony during the kidnapping case of Cadapan and Empeño, which initially led to Palparan's conviction. 

Palparan, who served under former President Gloria Arroyo, has long been controversial for his involvement in anti-insurgency efforts that were criticized for alleged abuses and killings.