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| After 3-Year Hunt, Philippines Arrests Former General in Activists’ Disappearance | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| MANILA — The Philippine military on Tuesday captured a former army general wanted in connection with the disappearance of two students in 2006, a case that human rights groups say has come to symbolize the country’s legacy of abductions and abuses of leftist activists by members of the security forces. | MANILA — The Philippine military on Tuesday captured a former army general wanted in connection with the disappearance of two students in 2006, a case that human rights groups say has come to symbolize the country’s legacy of abductions and abuses of leftist activists by members of the security forces. |
| The former general, Jovito Palparan, was arrested in a densely populated area of Manila after spending nearly three years as one of the Philippines’ most wanted fugitives. | |
| “This is a major accomplishment,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday, adding later, “He must now face his accusers.” | “This is a major accomplishment,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday, adding later, “He must now face his accusers.” |
| General Palparan became known as the Butcher for his aggressive approach to fighting the Philippines’ communist insurgency during more than two decades in the military. In a 2006 address, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, then the president, singled him out for praise for his contributions to the fight against the rebels. | General Palparan became known as the Butcher for his aggressive approach to fighting the Philippines’ communist insurgency during more than two decades in the military. In a 2006 address, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, then the president, singled him out for praise for his contributions to the fight against the rebels. |
| He was indicted in December 2011 in connection with the disappearances of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, two students at the University of the Philippines who were active in leftist organizations. They were never found, but witnesses later said they had seen the two women in military custody. According to the complaint filed against General Palparan, the women were kept chained in military barracks and were tortured and sexually assaulted by soldiers under the general’s command. | |
| General Palparan, who appeared gaunt and frail when reporters were allowed to question him on Tuesday, denied the allegations. He also said that he stood by his record of aggressively pursuing communist rebels. “I have no regrets for what I’ve done,” he said. “What I did was for the good of the people.” | General Palparan, who appeared gaunt and frail when reporters were allowed to question him on Tuesday, denied the allegations. He also said that he stood by his record of aggressively pursuing communist rebels. “I have no regrets for what I’ve done,” he said. “What I did was for the good of the people.” |
| The Philippines has one of the world’s longest-running communist insurgencies; attacks by the rebels, known as the New People’s Army, take place periodically in both the north and the south of the country. Peace talks broke down in recent months after a series of arrests of high-ranking rebels, although government negotiators say that they continue to seek a deal. | The Philippines has one of the world’s longest-running communist insurgencies; attacks by the rebels, known as the New People’s Army, take place periodically in both the north and the south of the country. Peace talks broke down in recent months after a series of arrests of high-ranking rebels, although government negotiators say that they continue to seek a deal. |
| After the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in the 1970s, members of the Philippine military, police officers and their agents abducted, tortured and sometimes murdered leftist activists with impunity. The practice continued in the years after democracy was restored in 1986, and human rights groups say that it persists today, if to a lesser degree. | After the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in the 1970s, members of the Philippine military, police officers and their agents abducted, tortured and sometimes murdered leftist activists with impunity. The practice continued in the years after democracy was restored in 1986, and human rights groups say that it persists today, if to a lesser degree. |
| President Benigno S. Aquino III, who succeeded Ms. Arroyo in 2010, campaigned for office in part on a promise to address extrajudicial killings, particularly of journalists but also of activists. “President Aquino promised that those who evade the law will be found,” a presidential spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said Tuesday. “That promise to capture General Palparan has been fulfilled today.” | President Benigno S. Aquino III, who succeeded Ms. Arroyo in 2010, campaigned for office in part on a promise to address extrajudicial killings, particularly of journalists but also of activists. “President Aquino promised that those who evade the law will be found,” a presidential spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said Tuesday. “That promise to capture General Palparan has been fulfilled today.” |
| In another recent case against a military officer, Harry Baliaga Jr., an army major, was arrested in October in connection with the April 2007 abduction of another activist, Jonas Burgos. | In another recent case against a military officer, Harry Baliaga Jr., an army major, was arrested in October in connection with the April 2007 abduction of another activist, Jonas Burgos. |
| Carlos Zarate, a congressman who sits on the Philippine House of Representatives’ Human Rights Committee, said in an interview Tuesday that the arrest of General Palparan did not signal an end to the problem of security forces committing abuses with impunity. He said the case against the general was brought only because the parents of the abducted girls had hired lawyers and put pressure on prosecutors. | Carlos Zarate, a congressman who sits on the Philippine House of Representatives’ Human Rights Committee, said in an interview Tuesday that the arrest of General Palparan did not signal an end to the problem of security forces committing abuses with impunity. He said the case against the general was brought only because the parents of the abducted girls had hired lawyers and put pressure on prosecutors. |
| “When it comes to cases of impunity, of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, it has lessened under Aquino but it is still going on,” Mr. Zarate said. | “When it comes to cases of impunity, of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, it has lessened under Aquino but it is still going on,” Mr. Zarate said. |
| Mr. Zarate said he and others believed that associates of General Palparan who are still active in the military had helped him hide during his time as a fugitive. In his appearance before reporters Tuesday, the general did not say where he had spent the last three years. | Mr. Zarate said he and others believed that associates of General Palparan who are still active in the military had helped him hide during his time as a fugitive. In his appearance before reporters Tuesday, the general did not say where he had spent the last three years. |
| In December 2012, President Aquino signed a law meant to stop the abductions of political activists by security forces. It made the “arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty committed by agents of the state” punishable by life in prison and held superior officers liable for abductions committed by those under their command. | In December 2012, President Aquino signed a law meant to stop the abductions of political activists by security forces. It made the “arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty committed by agents of the state” punishable by life in prison and held superior officers liable for abductions committed by those under their command. |
| Human Rights Watch said in a recent report that extrajudicial killings had declined under the Aquino administration but remained a problem, and that few such cases resulted in convictions. In addition to abductions by members of the military and paramilitary forces, urban death squads prey on petty criminals as part of local officials’ campaigns against crime, the report said. | Human Rights Watch said in a recent report that extrajudicial killings had declined under the Aquino administration but remained a problem, and that few such cases resulted in convictions. In addition to abductions by members of the military and paramilitary forces, urban death squads prey on petty criminals as part of local officials’ campaigns against crime, the report said. |
| “The Aquino administration has said all the right things about ending abuses in the Philippines, but what’s missing is the political will to translate those promises into action,” Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said when the report was released in January. | “The Aquino administration has said all the right things about ending abuses in the Philippines, but what’s missing is the political will to translate those promises into action,” Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said when the report was released in January. |