Liza Soberano camp slams 'red tagging' of actress, says she's apolitical

The legal counsel of Liza Soberano on Thursday slammed the alleged red-tagging of the actress on social media, saying she remains apolitical.

"We denounce in the strongest terms the red tagging of our client, Ms. Liza Soberano, in some social media platforms," Attorney Juanito Lim Jr. said in a statement obtained by GMA News Online.

"Expressing her love and respect for women and children is her personal advocacy," he added.

Some netizens pounced on Soberano after she attended a webinar organized by Gabriela Youth where she encouraged women to be vocal about different issues.

According to Lim, Soberano neither support nor antagonize any person's political views. "The important point here is respect for others, a virtue she has consciously practised all her life," he said.

"We, thus, call on everyone concerned to be circumspect in associating our client with their respective political beliefs, whatever it may be," Lim added.

Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. has earlier warned Soberano against keeping ties with Gabriela Women's Party, one of the groups the military is accusing of being front organizations of communist rebels.

Parlade is also the spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Parlade said Soberano and other celebrities should be educated regarding the "hidden violent agenda" of Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA), which, according to him, is a underground group hiding under Gabriela Women's Party.

Parlade also issued the same warning to Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.

In response, Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas accused Parlade of "rabidly red-tagging" Soberano and other female celebrities and influencers who are taking a stand against the "macho-fascism under the Duterte administration."

Brosas said Parlade is "maliciously associating" the actress with the armed movement when she only spoke up for the victims of gender-based violence and abuse. —KBK, GMA News