MANILA, Philippines — Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., who was convicted for the kidnapping of two University of the Philippines (UP) students in 2006, was “enjoying” special privileges in prison, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Tuesday.

“In a motion submitted to the RTC of Malolos City, Branch 15, where Palparan is being tried in another case of kidnapping involving farmer Raymond Manalo, the NUPL asked that the special privileges he is unduly enjoying be terminated once and for all,” read the statement

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The NUPL said Palparan is overstaying at the Directorate for Reception and Diagnostics (DRD) of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. The DRD is where the inmates are staying to undergo evaluation for not more than 60 days, NUPL said.

“At the DRD, Palparan has been acting as ‘governor’ or ‘mayor de mayores’ to about 1,500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs),” the lawyers’ group said.

NUPL also said Palparan was given access to a computer, internet and other privileges that are prohibited for other inmates.

The group also stressed that is never enough to detain human rights violators, saying that criminals should “pay for their crimes.”

On Sept. 17, 2018, Palparan was sentenced to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of UP activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno.

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