THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) in the City of Malolos, Bulacan, has refused to act on the motion filed by retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan seeking the recall of the arrest warrant and the dismissal of the kidnapping and serious illegal-detention charges lodged against him in connection with the enforced disappearance of two missing University of the Philippines student-activists Karen Empeño and Sheryl Cadapan.

State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera confirmed the RTC’s denial of Palparan’s motion “for lack of jurisdiction as he has not surrendered” yet to authorities.

Lawyer Edre Olalia, counsel of the mothers of the victims, said Judge Teodora Gonzales noted that Palparan and his co-accused, MSgt. Rizal Hilario, are not entitled to seek relief from the court considering that they have not been arraigned.

“They are still at large and are still not under the jurisdiction of the court,” Olalia said.

Meanwhile, Navera said the prosecution panel has formally questioned the transfer to a military camp of Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and SSgt. Edgardo Osorio, who were also charged in connection with the disappearance of the two UP students.

Anotado and Osorio were taken to the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, from the Bulacan Provincial Jail on Friday for custody after Judge Teodora Gonzales granted their request for transfer.

The prosecution panel is seeking the return of the said accused to the National Police Custodial Center from the military camp.

Palparan and his co-accused were ordered arrested by the trial court last December 19 upon the filing of criminal charges against them by the DOJ.  Joel San Juan

De Lima feels threatened

THIS developed as de Lima that the security at the DOJ premises has been beefed up following reports of threats to her security.

In an ambush interview, de Lima said personnel of the DOJ-Intelligence Service Operations Group and members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were detailed at the gate of DOJ and nearby posts.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry,” the usually feisty de Lima told reporters in explaining the security reinforcement in her office.

De Lima branded the threat as “credible and reliable” which could be related to the high-profile cases she is handling right now.

“It’s not really death threat. It’s just security threat because of these high-profile cases we’re handling and where the Secretary of Justice is personally involved and working on,” she said.