[APWSLMembers 343] Butcher Palparan gets seat on National Security Council

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

Palparan gets seat on National Security Council
Left calls appointment an ‘injustice’

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, Veronica Uy
INQ7.net
Last updated 01:36pm (Mla time) 09/08/2006

(UPDATE) THREE days ahead of his September 11 
retirement from the Army, controversial Major 
General Jovito Palparan has been tapped by 
Malacañang to join the National Security Council 
as deputy for the anti-insurgency campaign.

The left immediately reacted to the news, with 
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic 
Alliance or Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes 
calling Palparan’s appointment a “great 
injustice” and “insult” to the victims of 
political killings they have accused the general of ordering.

Palparan’s new post was disclosed by Presidential 
Chief of Staff Michael Defensor on Friday, the 
same day the general paid a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Palparan said he had not yet been informed of his 
new post but said Arroyo had hinted of giving him 
a new position in the government after he retires.

He said he would accept the position since the 
new job would allow him to continue working on counterinsurgency.

“Bayan condemns in the strongest terms the 
reported appointment of Palparan as dep national 
security adviser after his retirement. This is a 
great injustice, an insult to all the victims of 
political killings, and shows Mrs. Arroyo's 
support for butchers and murderers in her 
government,” Reyes said in a text message.

The leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas 
ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas 
(Pamalakaya) also said Palparan would be among 
the respondents in a complaint it intends to file 
before the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap said the 
complaint would also name Arroyo, Executive 
Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Defense Secretary 
Avelino Cruz Jr., National Security Adviser 
Norberto Gonzales, Lieutenant Colonels Rogelio 
Boac and Col. Noel Clement, and other officials 
of the Northern Luzon Command and 7th Infantry Division (ID) as respondents.

Among the cases Pamalakaya will cite in its 
complaint are the murders of Orlando Rivera, 
chairman of its chapter in Obando, Bulacan, and 
Napoleon Bautista, who was snatched in Hagonoy, 
also in Bulacan, and later found dead in the neighboring town of Calumpit.

Palparan, who will be relinquishing command of 
the 7th ID, has been accused by activist and 
human rights organizations of responsibility for 
most of the more than 700 extrajudicial killings 
they say have happened in the country since 2001.

However, amid mounting criticism about the 
government’s commitment to human rights, Arroyo 
has stood by the general, even singling him out 
for praise during her State of the Nation address.

Nonoy Espina



-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.1/440 - Release Date: 9/6/2006