“PWEDE BANG TIGILAN NA NG MILITAR ANG KALOKOHANG ITO. Nagpapakahirap kaming makapunta sa korte tuwing hearing tapos lolokohin lang kami ng mga militar na ito,” (Will the military please stop fooling us. We attend every hearing however difficult it is for us only to be fooled by them!) Mrs. Linda Cadapan angrily said at the end of the hearing of the kidnapping case filed against Ret. Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Sgt. Rizal Hilario M/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, and Col. Felipe Anotado. Mrs. Linda Cadapan and Mrs. Concepcion Empeno jointly filed the case for the disappearance of their daughters Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.
The defense failed to present its witness for the 5th time in yesterday’s hearing at Malolos Regional Trial Court in Bulacan. Atty. Jose Cruz, lawyer of M. Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, did not show up “because of an emergency matter in the family.”
Also, Atty. Abner Torres cited the “military units where the witnesses belong to will not shoulder the transportation expenses to bring the witnesses to court because there was no subpoena.” The subpoena was issued to the witnesses as early as November 2013. Torres’s said the witnesses are already deployed in Jolo and Isabela. Torres is counsel to Col. Felipe Anotado, one of Gen. Palparan’s co-accused.
“Hindi nila pwedeng idahilang walang pamasahe kasi maraming rekurso ang militar. Nasa kanila ang mga helicopters, tangke, at maraming sasakyan sa dami ng budget nila. Obligasyon nila na ipresent ang witness nila nang walang delay,” (They [military] cannot say they don’t have the money to transport their witnesses. It has all the resources—helicopters, tanks and all kinds of vehicles—withthe huge budget it has. It is their duty to bring their witness without delay),” Cadapan continued. “Palibhasa wala silang maipakitang witness, (They just couldn’t present any witness),” Cadapan said.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Connie Empeno told the public, “Etong si Palparan ay hindi pa rin nadadakip habang kung sinu-sinong mga tao ang pinaghuhuli ng gobyernong Aquino na wala naman kasalanan, (While the Aquino government continues to arrest innocent civilians, Palparan remains free).”
“Wala talagang maasahan sa gobyernong ito, (We cannot expect anything from this government),” Mrs. Empeno concluded.
