Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. has been slapped with a graft complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for reportedly engaging in black propaganda and partisan political activities.
(PNA FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman seeking to have Parlade face charges for violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Section 55 (Political Activity), Chapter 7 Subtitle A Title I of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 292).
Zarate wants Parlade to be suspended from office pending his investigation, and later be dismissed from service after finding substantial evidence against him for grave misconduct.
In his complaint, Zarate said that Parlade, who was the Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, publicly engaged in black propaganda and negative campaigning against him and Bayan Muna Party-list and the Makabayan Coalition during the campaign period for the 2019 national elections, which took place from February 12 to May 11, 2019.
Zarate and the rest of the Makabayan representatives initially filed a complaint-affidavit against the AFP on April 17, 2019 before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which has already been submitted for resolution. Despite the filing of the complaint, Parlade reportedly intensified his attacks against them.
Zarate cited several instances in which Parlade reportedly smeared his person and the reputation of Bayan Muna. One such instance was during Parlade's speech at the Milipol Asia-Pacific 2019 Conference in Singapore on April 5, wherein Bayan Muna was accused as a "Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) front organization."
"Respondent's persistent red-tagging hindered me and Bayan Muna from our campaign activities during the election, and worse, threatened my personal safety during the campaign and election period," the complaint read.
"Respondent Parlade's motives and intentions are clear - he seeks to cripple and sabotage our campaign and election," it added.