Philippines: A retired army general accused of being behind the killing of dozens of leftist activists in the Philippines has been sentenced to life for kidnapping two university students in 2006.
Jovito Palparan, nicknamed “The Butcher” for his deadly campaign against communist rebels, was found guilty of the disappearance of two university students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan.
Judge Alexander Tamayo also convicted two of Palparan’s co-accused, an army lieutenant and a sergeant, and ordered the three to pay 300,000 Philippine peso ($5,500) each in damages to the family of the two students.
Palparan protested the conviction, shouting at the judge: “You’re a coward, judge! You’re such a coward!”
Tamayo warned Palparan that he would be cited for contempt, but the former general shouted: “It doesn’t matter. We will be jailed anyway. You’re such a fool.”
Empeno and Cadapan were kidnapped from a rented home in the town of Hagonoy in Bulacan province, 36 kilometres north of Manila, in June 2006 by people believed to be soldiers.
