Gag order not enough, #FireParlade to teach him a lesson

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas expressed full support to Proposed Senate Resolution 709 that aims to censure NTF-ELCAC Spokesperson Gen. Antonio Parlade for his disrespectful, derogatory, and demeaning statements against Senators who demanded the defunding of the NTF-ELCAC following Parlade’s red-tagging spree of community pantries.

A total of 15 senators including Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri signed PSR 709. Among those who did not co-sign the resolution include majority bloc Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Imee Marcos, Manny Pacquiao, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, Francis Tolentino, and Cynthia Villar.

“If Gen. Parlade can demean and disparage Senators — call them stupid and whatnot, then he can do the same to anybody else. Just like how he easily red tag and brand activists as communist-terrorists. ‘Yan na nga mismo ang ginagawa ni General Parlade sa bawat pagbuka ng bibig niya. Parlade’s mouth is like Pandora’s box — a source of endless complications and problems,” according to former DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano, KMP’s chairman emeritus.

A gag order against Gen. Parlade and Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy is not enough. They must be fired from their respective agencies to teach them a lesson that they should not abuse their position and authority as public servants.

The peasant group also seeks to dialogue with Senator Franklin Drilon who authored Senate Bill 2121 and other Senators who expressed concerns about the NTF-ELCAC’s misuse of its budget for red-tagging and unfounded accusations against personalities and individuals that are known critics of the government.

Earlier, KMP said it will lobby for the passage of SB 2121 that seeks to penalize the act of red-tagging by a minimum of 10 years in prison. ###