Liza Soberano is still silent over the statement of Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr., National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson and commander of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (SolCom), warning her against aligning with Gabriela’s youth arm, the Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA).
According to Parlade, the group is targeting celebrities for recruitment and that Soberano might just end up like Josephine Anne Lapira, a former member of Gabriela Youth who was killed in an encounter with the military in 2017.
“Liza Soberano, there’s still a chance to abdicate that group. If you don’t, you will suffer the same fate as Josephine Anne Lapira alias Ella,” Parlade said.
It isn’t clear if it’s a direct reaction to Parlade’s statement but her manager, Ogie Diaz, posted the following on Facebook, Thursday:
“Nag-guest lang po sa webinar ng Gabriela Youth si Liza Soberano. Hindi po siya miyembro ng Gabriela o ng kahit anong partido o partylist.
“Nagsasalita lang po siya bilang babae at kabataan, dahil kilala siya sa kanyang advocacy.
“Wala naman pong masamang sinabi si Liza patungkol sa mga karapatan ng kababaihan at ng kabataan sa webinar na ‘yon.
“Saan pong organisasyon dapat magsalita si Liza na bagay pag-usapan ang tungkol sa women’s and children’s rights na kikilalanin at paiigtingin ang karapatan ng mga babae at mga bata na hindi po siya mare-redtag?”
Earlier, the actress’ legal counsel also posted on Facebook a statement concerning Soberano having been red-tagged by a netizen following her aforementioned speech at the event.
Atty. Juanito R. Lim, Jr., of The Lim & Yutaco-Sze law firm said, “We denounce in the strongest terms the 'red-tagging' of our client, Ms. Liza Soberano, in some social media platforms.
“Expressing her love and respect for women and children is her personal advocacy.
“Ms. Soberano remains to be apolitical. She does not support nor antagonize any person's political views. The important point here is respect for others, a virtue she has conscientiously practised all her life.
“We, thus call on everyone concerned to be circumspect in associating our client with their respective political beliefs, whatever it may be.”
