Duterte wants police, military to be careful about red-tagging —Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte wants the police and military to be circumspect when it comes to labeling persons as sympathizers of the communist rebels, Malacañang said Monday.

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said the President delivered his position through Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who recently cautioned Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. against “red-tagging anybody without evidence.”

“In fact, ang suggestion nga ni Secretary Lorenzana is no need to publicize kung sino ang mga suspected communists; just do their job without publicity,” Roque told a news conference.

“Keep quiet, iyan po ang polisiya na sinabi ni Secretary Lorenzana which he made for and on behalf of the President.”

Last week, Parlade urged actress Liza Soberano to cut ties with the left-leaning women's rights organization Gabriela Women’s Party. She recently gave a talk about gender-based violence in an online seminar organized by Gabriela’s youth arm.

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

However, Lorenzana, who summoned Parlade into a meeting last Friday, 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.

"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," the Cabinet official said. — BM, GMA News