Zarate files raps vs. military general for alleged red-tagging, partisan political activity

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate has filed a complaint against Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade, Jr. over his alleged red-tagging and partisan political activity.

In his 32-page complaint, Zarate asked the Office of the Ombudsman to charge Parlade for violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 55 (Political Activity), Chapter 7, Subtitle A, Title 1 of the Administrative Code of 1987, and to order his dismissal from public office after finding evidence that he committed grave misconduct.

Zarate presented news reports documenting public pronouncements of Parlade during the campaign period for the 2019 elections which supposedly showed how the military officer "actively and publicly" red-baited him and his party, maliciously labelling them as legal fronts of communist rebels, and urging people not to vote for him and the rest of the Makabayan candidates.

"By Respondent's (Parlade) public pronouncements, he has shown to have acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith and inexcusable negligence. By his public pronouncements, he definitely caused my person and Bayan Muna undue injury during the campaign  and election period," Zarate's complaint read.

"By labeling me and the rest of the Makabayan Party-Lists as 'communist fronts' and vilifying us as 'rebels' and 'terrorists,' Respondent Parlade endangers and threatens the lives and safety our our officials, members, campaign personnel, and the sectors we represent," it added.

Call a spade a spade

In a statement sent to GMA News Online, Parlade underscored that it is the job of the government to inform and expose to the public the real nature of "terrorist organizations" representing themselves as advocacy groups.

Parlade also noted that it was Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison who identified some groups as "Reds."

"It was Joma Sison and to this day the CPP is consistent in tagging them as their red allies. Is Rep Zarate denying this fact? If not what's wrong with the government calling a spade a spade?" Parlade said.

"We will be remiss with our job if we continue to allow the people to be fooled by these criminals, by not informing them of the terrorist nature of these Kamatayan bloc," he added.

Political activity

Zarate said Parlade's public pronouncements constitute political activity which members of the military are prohibited by the Administrative Code of 1987 from engaging in.

He added that Parlade's "persistent public red-tagging" are considered acts of threat, intimidation, and terrorism, partisan political activity, and use of public funds, equipment and facilities for election campaign, all of which are violations of Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.

Zarate has earlier filed a complaint on election offenses against Parlade before the Commission on Elections.

But since the said complaint concerns the criminal aspect of the election offense, he said that he is also filing a complaint before the Ombudsman with respect to the administrative liability of Parlade.

Parlade also said he never told the public not to vote for leftists.

"What we said is for people to choose properly their candidates and their party list groups. The choice is theirs and it's called 'informed decision,' instead of some random choice because of lack of information that people deserve," he said.

In February, an administrative complaint was also filed before the Ombudsman against Parlade, Presidential Communications and Operations Office Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon by independent think-tank IBON Foundation for red-tagging or identifying the research group as terrorists.  —with Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News