Parlade should also be held liable for his lies, solon says

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite on Thursday said Southern Luzon Command chief Antonio Parlade Jr., who resigned from his post as NTF-ELCAC spokesman ahead of his retirement from military service, must be held liable for allegedly peddling lies.

Gaite, a member of progressive group Makabayan Bloc that is often at the receiving end of the Parlade's criticisms, said the general used and abused his position as NTF-ELCAC spokesman to “attack government critics, spread [disinformation], and red tag activists and organizations.”

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is the anti-insurgency campaign of the Duterte administration.

“Resign na lang, wala nang pagpapanagot sa kanyang paghahasik ng kasinungalingan?”(So, resignation frees him from any accountability?) “He should be held accountable for his lies,” Gaite said.

Moreover, he said the task force should also not be spared from accountability, and it should be abolished.

“They have enabled Paralde's crusade of lies,” Gaite said.

Instead of abolishing NTF-ELCAC, they just kept getting spokespersons to join the chorus of  threats against critics of the administration. They are really wasting funds amid the pandemic, Gaite said in Filipino.

For Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, Parlade had taken his position to the extreme and he had gone so far.

“Yes, it was his duty to strengthen the government’s anti insurgency campaign but by red-baiting persons including members of Congress, he just went too far. Allegations should always be evidence-based, which requirement he conveniently set aside,” Rodriguez said.

“Government follows the rule of law, not on innuendos, aspersions and unfounded accusations. Calling some lawmakers scrutinizing the budget of the task force ‘stupid’ is also unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman,” he added.

Parlade, an outspoken general, confirmed that he had resigned from his post as NTF-ELCAC spokesman almost a month ago.

He was criticized by some groups and personalities, including lawmakers, for linking some people to the communist movement. Lawmakers had wanted him out of the NTF-ELCAC and they also called for an audit of the budget of the task force.

President Rodrigo Duterte already accepted Parlade’s resignation. —LBG, GMA News