Fifteen senators on Tuesday, April 27, have filed the resolution which seeks to censure National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr. for his "disrespectful and derogatory" remarks against members of the Senate following their call for a review and possible defunding of the agency’s P19-billion budget.
Senate Resolution No 709, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, was also signed by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Leila de Lima, Sherwin Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Grace Poe, and Joel Villanueva.
In seeking Parlade’s censure, the senators reminded the NTF-ELCAC spokesperson that “progressive thinking is not communism.”
“The senators’ reprimand of Lt. Gen. Parlade is justified and scrutiny of the NTF-ELCAC’s use of its budget is warranted, in light of the deplorable acts and pronouncements of Lt. Gen. Parlade as NTF-ELCAC Spokesperson,” they said in the resolution.
“Instead of engaging in a constructive debate, Lt. Gen. Parlade has chosen to demean and disparage the Senators, through statements that display his limited grasp of Congress’ role in the budget process and show his lack of respect not just for the Senators as duly-elected representatives of the people but also for the Senate as an institution,” they stressed.
The lawmakers also defended the rise of community pantries in the country from red-tagging after the NTF-ELCAC subjected its organizers to profiling.
“Contrary to the assertions of Lt. Gen. Parlade, progressive thinking is not communism and expression of opinions or criticisms and purposeful involvement in humanitarian community efforts do not constitute rebellion, sedition, or terrorism,” the lawmakers said.
“If Parlade’s pronouncements and profiling of community pantry organizers were done pursuant to NTF-ELCAC's policy direction, then the agency has clearly departed from its mandate and members of the Senate have basis to realign its funds to more worthy causes that would make better use of taxpayers’ money, such as providing much-needed aid to people suffering from the effects of the pandemic,” the senators lamented.
Drilon said he is certain that the resolution will be adopted when session resumes on May 17.
“This is as good as adopted when we resume session on May 17. It is a certainty that Parlade will be censured by the Senate for this kind of conduct when we resume session,” the minority leader said.