MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has already accepted the resignation of controversial Army Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. as spokesperson of the counter-insurgency task force, Malacañang said Thursday.
Parlade said he submitted his resignation letter as National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) spokesperson to the President “almost a month ago.”
“Tinanggap po ang resignation ni General Parlade as spokesperson of NTF-ELCAC. So that’s what I was able to confirm from [Defense] Secretary Lorenzana,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing when asked if the President already accepted Parlade’s resignation.
(General Parlade’s resignation has been accepted. That’s what I was able to confirm from Secretary Lorenzana.)
READ: Parlade steps down as counter-insurgency task force spokesperson
Parlade, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines – Southern Luzon Command, is set to retire on July 26 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
He received criticisms for linking lawmakers, celebrities, and even journalists to communist rebels.
In April, several lawmakers called for the defunding of NTF-Elcac and the reallocation of its funds to COVID-19 assistance after being linked to the red-tagging of a community pantry organizer.