Palparan can't get fair trial under de Lima: lawmaker

A FORMER colleague of retired military general Jovito Palparan said the fugitive cannot expect a fair trial from the government with Secretary Leila de Lima at the helm of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"With de Lima there, I don't think we can expect a fair trial," Alliance for National Democracy party-list Representative Pastor "Jun" Alcover Jr. said in an ambush interview with reporters.

Alcover cited de Lima's order to release the "Morong 43," a group of health workers arrested in February 2010 as suspected rebels, and the filing of charges against those behind the arrest.

"What is Palparan's fault? He was just doing his job; and I think out of all the generals I've seen, only Palparan was hands-on," Alcover said.

Alcover and Palparan were colleagues in the 14th Congress when the latter was representing the party-list group Bantay.

A P1-million bounty has been raised for the arrest of Palparan who had turned fugitive following a local court's release of warrants for his arrest for kidnapping.

The former military general has been blamed for the disappearances of University of the Philippines (UP) students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006.

Palparan is part of the so-called "Big Four" fugitives hunted down by the Philippine National Police. The other three are former Palawan governor Joel Reyes, and his brother, Coron mayor Mario Reyes Jr.; and convicted Dinagat Island Representative Ruben Ecleo Jr.

Alcover said the military and the police are "sympathetic" to Palparan, as the former official "was doing good for the peace and order campaign" of the government.

"Definitely, I'm supporting him. We share the same advocacy. We want peace and order that is based on principle not peace and order wherein you sell your principles to your enemies," Alcover said.

Alcover said Palparan's wife, Vangie, is considering running in the 2013 midterm polls as representative of the party-list group Bantay. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)