Palparan finally arrested!

One of the country’s most wanted fugitives, former Major General Jovito Palparan, is now under the custody of the NBI.

Palparan was nabbed in Sta. Mesa, Manila this morning in a joint operation between the NBI and the AFP’s Naval Intelligence Group.

Two other persons who were with him were invited for questioning.

The 64-year-old Palparan is charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention in relation to the abduction of two female UP students in 2006.

Nicknamed ‘the butcher’ for his alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations, Palparan has been in hiding since 2011 after an arrest warrant was issued by a Bulacan court.

The government put a P2M bounty on him in 2012.

He is now undergoing processing at the NBI.

ISAFP: Palparan had been living in friend’s home for over 3 months

Unarmed, Palparan was arrested in an old house in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The intelligence service of the Armed Forces says there was no tension during the arrest as Palparan did not give a fight.

ISAFP adds the home was owned by Palparan’s family friend, Grace Roa, and he’s been living there for over three months before his arrest.

“The warrant was served in a house in Sta. Mesa. General Palparan did not resist arrest. In fact, he was joking with our operatives and he was saying ‘Ang gagaling niyo naisihan niyo ako, kasi na relax ako.’ More than three months na siya doon. Nakikita [at] napapansin na may nakatira doon na hindi lumalabas ng bahay,” ISAFP chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año says.

Año also says Palparan will be detained at the NBI detention center until the Bulacan court orders otherwise.

Año adds, they are now working on boosting security measures there to make sure Palparan will not escape.

“May initial coordination na kami with NBI kung pano ire-reenforce yung custodial center nila doon. Depende sa mapag-aagreehan ng heads natin. Si Director at Chief of Staff, they will add additional uniformed troops there or other reinforcement we will accord to the NBI,” Año says.

Palparan fears for his life

In an interview on dzMM, Palparan, who holed up somewhere in Metro Manila, says he is very concerned about his safety.

“Kahit anong condition [ng kulungan], I don’t need special treatment. Kahit pa harsh condition, kaya ko yan. Kahit sa barangay jail, okay lang ‘yun, sanay naman tayo. Kahit saan ako makulong, ang concern ko lang is security. Not only for me, but also for my family, kasi mag wo-worry sila ng mag wo-worry. Doon na ako medyo nagiging emotional. Gusto ko sanang lumabas para i-clear ang pangalan ko, pero I am prevented dahil sa security worries ng pamilya ko,” Palparan says

But Palparan says he feels safe and secure around the NBI.

“I think dito sa NBI, I think I’m safe. Wala namang special treatment sa akin. Professional yung pag huli nila sa akin. They did their best actually, na hindi ako makalusot. Ayokong mamatay sa kamay ng kalaban,” Palparan says.

He also said he does not need any special treatment.

“Underweight na ako. Kapag na-address ‘yun I can go anywhere (kulungan). I’m requesting kaunting medical check-up,” Palparan says.

Palparan, however, emphasized he needs a medical check up.

“Yung ano ko ngayon [medical condition], yung cold muscle dito sa likod ko, sa kanan. So nahirapan ako kumilos, lalo na tumayo. Hindi ko naman kailangan ng hospital arrest at ayaw ko nga. Kung talagang hindi lalala yung condition ko, I will not ask for that. Ang condition ko kasi, ang dalawang concern ko, yung pangangayat ko. Underweight na ako. So below 100 [lbs] siguro ako from 135 [lbs]. Kapag na-address ‘yun, I can go anywhere (kulungan). Syempre under pressure, tatamaan ka din ng mga sakit. Hindi ka na makagawa ng gusto mong gawin. Limited yung mobility ko. I’m requesting sa NBI kaunting medical check-up,” Palparan says.

Palparan, meantime, also refused to give details on the woman he was with during the arrest this morning.

“I have to consult my lawyer. Mahirap naman ma-involve yung ibang tao,” he said.

Victims’ families react

Meantime, the families of Empeño and Cadapan welcomed the news of Palparan’s arrest.

Connie Empeño says the arrest was timely since the last hearing on her daughter’s case was supposed to be on August 18.