Palparan scores initial win in CHR investigation

A ranking official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) cleared retired Major General Jovito Palparan of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violation charges in the cases filed against him by various groups based in Central Luzon. In a 20-page report, CHR Commissioner Eligio Mallari said there was "no direct evidence pinpointing Palparan as responsible for the killings and other human rights violations" when he was assigned as commander of the 7th Infantry Batallion stationed in Laur, Nueva Ecija. Mallari is in charge of CHR operations in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and and the Bicol region. He is head of the CHR protection group, under which the CHR Legal and Investigation Office is functioning. He submitted copies of his report to other CHR officials. Mallari expressed confidence that the commission en banc “will not dispute" his recommendations when the CHR comes up with a resolution. He said his recommendations of clearing Palparan were "based on concrete findings." The controversial general tagged as "the butcher" by human rights activists was commander of the 7th IB in mid-2005 before his retirement on Sept. 11, 2006. Mallari’s report was based on the data gathered from public hearings on August 24 and 25 and October 13 of last year. Military officials and human rights groups Karapatan and Mothers and Relatives Against Tyranny (Martyr) testified in the hearings. The commissioner said that based on the testimonies of Karapatan and Martyr, "there was no clear evidence linking Palparan to the killings." Mallari said that even if a witness points to an assailant wearing a bonnet and fatigue uniform, "that will not prove that the military (is behind the killing)." Asked whether the concept of command responsibility would be sufficient to indict Palparan, Mallari said: "Even if Region 3 was under him (as commander of the Army’s 7th IB), there was no direct evidence that he ordered the killings." Mallari, however, recommended the filing of charges against 1Lt. Elmer Taglinawan, saying that there was a witness that directly pointed to him as responsible for a case of killing. The CHR official also recommended monitoring a case that has already been filed against Master Sergeant Rizal Hilario. Based on the records of Karapatan, there have been 142 cases of extrajudicial killings in Central Luzon since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed office in 2001. Cases of unexplained killings in Central Luzon is second only to Southern Tagalog, which so far has a total of 152 cases, based on Karapatan records. Karapatan has documented more than 800 cases of extrajudicial killings since 2001. -GMANews.TV