“We find it very insensitive for Senator Ping Lacson and the Senate Committee on National Defense to push through with the scheduled hearing on General Antonio Parlade’s red-tagging against GABRIELA, several celebrities like Angel Locsin, Liza Soberano and Catriona Gray, and progressive party list groups at a crucial time when the entire country, especially Bicolanos, are reeling from the catastrophic aftermath of super typhoon Rolly. Senator Ping should have known better. Proceeding with the hearing in the midst of a calamity situation was a very unwise and tactless decision. It was a waste of taxpayers’ money and bureaucracy resources,” says KMP chairperson emeritus and former DAR secretary Rafael Mariano.

“We also refuse to acknowledge a certain Ka Eric or Jeffrey Celiz, Parlade’s main source of false and fabricated information on his preposterous claims against the Makabayan bloc, KMP, and other progressive groups. Celiz is unbelievable as a whistleblower, and Parlade is a comic and laughingstock of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Parlade, Celiz and the entire NTF-ELCAC are insignificant and worthless to farmers,” Mariano added.

The Senate hearing which aimed to shed light on the red tagging accusations resulted in further red-tagging of legitimate people’s organizations by Parlade and his fellow military officials.

“It would be best for the Senate, the AFP, especially the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) which is under Parlade’s command, to focus all efforts to help Typhoon Rolly disaster victims. Parlade who was conspicuously silent and absent while Typhoon Rolly was lashing at Bicol and Southern Luzon is just as accountable as President Rodrigo Duterte who was evidently ‘Noynoying’ when he was most needed by Filipinos,” Mariano concluded. ###