Palparan elated with CHR findings on him

By Ronron
March 22, 2007

Controversial retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan is elated with the findings on him by a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commissioner as regards as his alleged involvement in human rights abuses.

“I am happy because finally, the CHR has come out with findings that is based on factual and truthful investigation,” Palparan told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of the 110th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Palparan said he has been expecting the “clearance” as he had been confident that he did nothing wrong from the start.

But as to the findings against him by the Melo Commission and United Nations Special Rapporteur Philippine Alston, he explained: “Usually, the investigating body just follow the propaganda lines of the militants, the accusers. That’s why there are no conclusive statements that they can make.”

Palparan said that what sets the CHR probe, particularly that of Commissioner Eligio Mallari, apart from the Melo Commission and Alston’s fact-finding missions is the former’s appreciation of facts.

He shrugged off the continued criticisms against him despite his being cleared by Mallari.

“To my critics, I leave it to them. If they (the general public) are monitoring, then they can properly decide who to believe. They are just critics, they are just basing their opinion on hearsays,” Palparan said.

“If it’s not in their favor, they would always object. But if it’s in their favor, like the Melo Commission and Alston whose findings are not based on facts, they are celebrating,” he continued.

Palparan confided that while his family also expected his vindication, they remain worried about the “continued barrage of propaganda against me.”

He admitted the militant groups are good in putting him down with their propaganda against him. “But we should not surrender, should we? We should not submit ourselves,” he said.

Palparan was tagged by militant groups as “butcher and number one violator of human rights” for allegedly masterminding a number of unexplained killings and disappearances of militants.

But he has consistently denied the allegations, saying he is just being targeted by the Left-leaning groups because he is gaining success in his counter-insurgency campaigns wherever he is assigned.

The allegations against Palparan started first when he commanded a brigade of the Philippine Army in Mindoro in 2001. It dragged on until he retired in September last year./DMS