Palace to Senate: File quo warranto petition vs Parlade, but be prepared for a challenge

FILE PHOTO: Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. and concurrent spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict, the anti-insurgency body under the Office of the President. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB File)

MANILA, Philippines — Those calling for Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr.’s sacking as spokesperson of the government’s counter-insurgency task force may resort to legal remedies, such as filing a quo warranto petition before the courts, Malacañang said Friday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, himself a lawyer, made the suggestion after the Palace’s reaction was sought when most of the senators called for Parlade’s removal as mouthpiece for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), even while serving as commander of the military’s Southern Luzon command.

“Kung mayroong mga talagang sigurado sa kanilang legal position, magsampa po sila ng quo warranto dahil ‘yan naman ang remedyo,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(If they are really sure of their legal position, they can file a quo warranto petition because that is the remedy.)

Senators earlier recommended removing Parlade from NTF-ELCAC, citing a constitutional rule that bars active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from holding civilian posts in the government.

However, Roque said that the Senate’s position is subject to a debate since the military is part of the task force and Parlade could be speaking on behalf of the military that is represented in the NTF-ELCAC.

“Pwedeng nagsasalita po siya [Parlade] bilang tagapagsalita rin ng militar na represented po doon sa NTF-ELCAC. So let’s not dwell into that,” he said.

Malacañang further said that it will be up to the task force if it will retain Parlade from his post amid allegations that his supposed remarks smacks of red-tagging and defeats the purpose of the task force to bring insurgents  back to the folds of the law.

EDV