Stop red-tagging Liza Soberano, Gabriela tells Parlade

Gabriela Women’s Party on Thursday said Southern Luzon Command (SolCom) chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. should stop red-tagging and mansplaining Liza Soberano and other women rights defenders.

Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas made the statement after Parlade warned Soberano on her support to the women's group, which the military claims is a front organization of communist rebels.

Brosas accused Parlade of "rabidly red-tagging" Soberano and other female celebrities and influencers who are taking a stand and speaking out against the macho-fascism under the Duterte regime."

“How come these macho-fascists have the audacity to mansplain strong women and lecture them on what to do? And why do they seem so afraid of women using their platform to defend other women?,” she said.

“These rabid NTF-ELCAC executives are using their rehashed script to discredit Gabriela Women’s Party despite our long track record of advocating women’s rights,” she added.

Brosas said Parlade’s appeal to stop red-tagging Soberano is “starkly ironic” as he actually red-tagged her in his same statement.

“By saying that Soberano is ‘not yet an NPA,’ he is maliciously associating the actress with the armed movement when what she did in the youth forum was to only speak up for all the victims of gender-based violence and abuse,” Brosas said.

Earlier, Parlade said Soberano should not be red-tagged as she is merely supporting the advocacy for women’s rights.

Parlade said Soberano is "not yet" a member of the New People's Army and that she and other celebrities should be educated on the "hidden violent agenda" of Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA).

Parlade said MAKIBAKA is an underground group hiding under Gabriela Women's Party.

"Liza Soberano, there' s still a chance to abdicate that group. If you don't, you will suffer the same fate as Josephine Anne Lapira @ELLA, former Deputy Secretary General of Gabriela Youth of UP Manila and defender of women's rights, even against sexual predators amongst her comrades in the NPA unit she joined which is clearly stated in her handwritten letter addressed to a certain @EMIL," Parlade said.

Parlade also gave the same warning to Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News