Parlade on controversial Liza remarks: Why should I apologize?

Liza Soberano (left) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. (right)

MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. on Friday said he won’t apologize to actress Liza Soberano following allegations that he had “red-tagged” her due to her association with the women’s group, Gabriela.

“Why should I apologize?” Parlade said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel on Friday.

Parlade, in a statement posted on Facebook Tuesday, urged the actress to withdraw her support from women’s group Gabriela after she previously appeared on Gabriela Youth’s webinar titled “Mga Tinig ni Nene: Reclaiming Our Voices on the International Day of the Girl Child,” where she took a stand on the issue of violence against women and children.

Parlade said Soberano needs to be educated about the supposed true agenda of the party-list group. He also said the actress is “not yet” part of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

The military general, meanwhile, denied red-tagging Soberano.

He even claimed that Soberano’s family, through the actress’ legal counsel Atty. Jun Lim, thanked him for “informing them about the nature of this organization.”

“The family thanked me. Atty. Lim thanked me and called me up that they’re sending the thank you letter and he told me that the family is thankful, why should I apologize. Again, I did not red-tag Liza Soberano,” Parlade said.

“In fact, I got a call from Atty. Lim yesterday thanking me and informed me that they’re sending a thank you letter to me for informing them about the nature of this organization and which they don’t want their client to be associated with,” he added.

EDV