By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Tomorrow, Sept. 27, the Malolos City Regional Trial Court Branch 19 will decide on the charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with physical injuries filed by farmer Raymond Manalo and his late twin brother, Reynaldo, against retired general Jovito Palparan Jr. and five other agents.
Read: The Trail of Blood: Following Army Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr.
It was 17 years ago when the Manalo brothers were abducted from their home in Barangay Buhol na Mangga, San Ildefonso, Bulacan on Feb. 14, 2006. Raymond and his brother, along with two disappeared activists, Karen Capadan and Sherlyn Empeño and another farmer, Manuel Merino, all met at the barracks of Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan where they were held captive. Raymond witnessed the torture and rape of Sherlyn and Karen.
Read: 2 Missing UP Students Tortured, Raped Inside Military Camp
They were taken into different places in Central Luzon until the day came when Raymond said he no longer saw the two students. Raymond also witnessed how Merino was set on fire by the soldiers.
The Manalo brothers were later transferred to Pangasinan without the three. There, they were allowed to tend a small farm owned by one of their captors. In the wee hours of Aug. 13, 2007, the Manalo brothers were able to escape from their drunk captors.
Read:A second conviction for The Butcher? | Bulacan court asked to convict Palparan over Manalo brothers abduction
Read:Palparan’s biggest mistake | ‘He should have never let me live,’ says torture victim
Raymond’s accounts were instrumental to the conviction of Palparan in 2014.
Read: Witness tags soldiers in torture of UP students
Read: Witness recounts torture of 2 UP students
Raymond has fought for justice for the torture they endured during their captivity. Aside from the pending case in the Bulacan Court, Raymond also filed criminal and administrative charges against Palparan, retired. Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and other members of the Army’s 24th Infantry Battalion during the period 2006 to 2007 at the Office of the Ombudsman in 2008.
Read: How many years more? | Torture survivors urge Ombudsman to act on raps against military
Read: Torture Survivor Files Charges vs Perpetrators
Read: Witness on Palparan: ‘ I hate him, he tortured me’
Read: ‘Frustrated’ torture victim asks Duterte, court to hasten trial of Palparan
Read: ‘Still no justice’ | Torture survivors under Arroyo govt testify before IPT
In 2016, three Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) implicated in the torture of the Manalo brothers also voluntarily surrendered to the authorities. (RTS, RVO)
