Lorenzana admits association with a group doesn’t mean support for its ideology

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Sunday said the government merely warned actress Liza Soberano from involving herself with Gabriela Women's Party, but admitted that association with the group does not necessarily mean support for its "ideology."

Gabriela is a women's rights organization.

In a statement, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana—after discussing the matter with Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr.—denied that the government red-tagged Soberano, and said it merely warned celebrities from joining groups it has accused of being fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army.

"Just to be clear we were not the ones who red-tagged them. It was Jose Maria Sison himself who identified them as fronts of the CPP/NPA/NDF. To accuse us (Mil and police) of red-tagging them in the face of Sison’s admission is the height of naïveté," he said.

The statement was released after Parlade last week warned Soberano from supporting the women's rights group, or she would "suffer the same fate" as Josephine Anne Lapira, who was killed in a clash with government troops in 2017.

Parlade said Soberano is "not yet" a member of the NPA, and that she and other celebrities should be educated on the "hidden violent agenda" of the Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA), supposedly an underground group hiding under Gabriela.

Soberano, an actress by profession, recently gave a talk during a seminar organized by Gabriela where she encouraged women to be vocal on pressing issues.

Lorenzana on Friday summoned Parlade for a meeting regarding his accusing celebrities—among them Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and actress Angel Locsin —of being linked to leftist groups.

"What did I tell General Parlade? I cautioned him from red-tagging anybody without evidence. Associating with Gabriela, per se, does not mean a person advocates and supports its ideology. Therefore it is our duty to forewarn them less they fall into a trap," said Lorenzana.

"Meantime, I directed General Parlade to continue what he is doing with some caveats so as not to unnecessarily include or accuse innocent people who are well-meaning and want to do good things for others," he added.

Soberano's camp said the actress is merely expressing her love and respect for women and children, which is her personal advocacy. — BM, GMA News