Rights group says Philippine military may be protecting fugitive general accused of kidnapping
Rights group says Philippine military may be protecting fugitive general accused of kidnapping
By Associated Press, Published: January 31
MANILA, Philippines — An international human rights watchdog said Wednesday it has information that sympathetic Philippine military personnel were thwarting attempts by civilian authorities to capture a former army general accused of kidnapping two student activists.
Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan has been on the run since he was charged in December with kidnapping two left-wing activists in 2006. The students remain missing.
Palparan, a former congressman who was close to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has denied any involvement. He is the highest-ranking military official to face allegations of abuse that human rights groups say has long been tolerated in the Philippines.
Rights groups and a U.N. investigator have blamed security forces for the deaths and disappearances of about 1,000 activists between 2001 and 2010, when Arroyo was president.
More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/rights-group-says-philippine-military-may-be-protecting-fugitive-general-accused-of-kidnapping/2012/01/31/gIQAsNBTgQ_story.html
