FILE — Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. of the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) physically attends the hybrid hearing of the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation on the alleged red-tagging /red-baiting of certain celebrities, personalities, institutions, and organizations Tuesday, December 1, 2020. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines—Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon is looking to file a resolution condemning National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. for his comments against senators.
In an interview with DWIZ, Drilon said that Parlade’s statements towards the Senate were “very disrespectful” and his “stupid” remarks have no place in a healthy debate.
“Ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng isang opisyal ng Armed Forces na sinasabing istupido ang mga senador (This is the first time that I heard an official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines calling senators ‘stupid’),” said Drilon. “That is very disrespectful at uncalled for.”
Parlade made derogatory remarks against the Senate after a number of senators pushed to defund NTF-ELCAC amid a series of red-tagging incidents on the organizers of the community pantries.
Parlade likened Anna Patricia Non, organizer of the Maginhawa community pantry, to Satan. He also heavily criticized female actors such as Liza Soberano and Angel Locsin in the past for their critique of the government.
“I’ll tell you, sila ang stupid kung ito ay binabawi nila,” said Parlade on a television interview. “Pinirmahan nila ‘yung batas na ‘yan para maging serbisyo, ipagpatuloy ang programa ng gobyerno. Ngayon sasabihin nila na ide-defund nila ‘yung NTF-ELCAC.”
(I’ll tell you, they’re the stupid ones if they want to take the budget back. They signed the law so it can be used as a service and for the government to continue the program. Now they want to de-fund the NTF-ELCAC.)
Several senators, including Drilon, are pushing for the realignment of the P19-billion NTF-ELCAC budget and use it for social amelioration program.
Drilon added that differences between the Legislative and Executive branches of the government are oftentimes unavoidable but no one should stoop so low as to call the other “stupid.”
“We are not stupid for calling for a realignment of their fund. We are not stupid for proposing to defund NTF-ELCAC because it is within the power of Congress to allocated funds,” said Drilon.
“Lt. Gen. Parlade’s arrogance showed his lack of respect to senators and the institution of the Senate. The Senate should censure him. Hindi dapat palampasin ito. Otherwise, masasanay at hindi na rerespetuhin ang Senado (This should not go unpunished. Otherwise the disrespect to the Senate could be commonplace),” said Drilon.
The Senate even adopted the Senate Committee on Defense’s recommendation to remove Parlade from his NTF-ELCAC post the Constitution bars any active military official to hold civilian posts.
Article 16, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution states that “No member of the armed forces in the active service shall, at any time, be appointed or designated in any capacity to a civilian position in the government, including government-owned or controlled corporations or any of their subsidiaries.”