Parlade won't resign as NTF-ELCAC spox despite Senate recommendation

Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. has no intention to resign as spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) despite the recommendation of the Senate to remove him from the post.

“Very good. Welcome ‘yan. Makes my job easier. But it’s just a recommendation and it’s the executive branch who will decide on it. It’s up to them,” Parlade said in a text message to Super Radyo dzBB’s Mark Makalalad when asked on the matter.

The Senate recommendation was part of the national defense panel's report on its inquiry into incidents of "red-tagging," which was approved on Wednesday.

"Consistent with the aforementioned constitutional provision and as a matter of policy, we recommend that Lt. Gen. Parlade be immediately relieved of his duties as spokesperson of NTF-ELCAC," the recommendation read.

The committee report has said that Parlade's comments on certain personalities whom he claimed were members of the communist movement has cast in bad light the government's anti-insurgency campaign and the Anti-Terror Law.

Parlade said he will stay in the post adding that NTF-ELCAC vice chairperson and National Security Adviser Hermogenes told him that official orders have been issued for him to remain as spokesperson.

“Of course (I will stay). In fact, the Vice Chair NTF ELCAC Sec Esperon just called to say he has issues official orders for me to remain as spox eff(ective) 1 Jan 2021,” the AFP Southern Luzon Command chief said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he does not see any violation of the Constitution regarding the appointment of Parlade Jr. as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson.

"Ang nangunguna diyan sa task force na 'yan ay 'yung AFP at saka 'yung PNP. So kami ang nandiyan, we are involved there. Kung tanggalin mo si General Parlade, tanggalin mo na rin kami diyan, 'yung Armed Forces (The task force is being led by the AFP and the PNP. We are there, we are involved there. If you will remove General Parlade, you might as well remove us, the Armed Forces)," Lorenzana said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018, the NTF-ELCAC or Executive Order 70 is headed by the President with the National Security Adviser as vice chairperson, and is composed of personnel from different government bodies including the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the director general of the Philippine National Police.

"And General Parlade of the AFP, so his expertise is being utilized as a spokesman of the NTF-ELCAC. Wala akong nakikitang violation of the Constitution (I don't see any violation of the Constitution)," Lorenzana said.—with Jamil Santos/AOL, GMA News