The tenure of controversial Lt. General Antonio Parlade Jr. as spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) will end in the next few months.

‘’Parlade is retiring soon. It may be worthless to file a quo warranto petition at this point,’’ Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee, said.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque earlier said those who want Parlade removed from NTF-ELCAC might file a quo warranto case.

Parlade, described as an anti-communist hardliner, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 87.

Retirement age for Uniformed members of the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) is 56.

Citing a constitutional provision, senators have asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership to yank Parlade out from his post as NTF-ELCAC spokesman because it is a civilian position.

Parlade earned the ire senators for his red-tagging. He even tagged senators as ‘’stupid’’ for demanding that NTF-ELCAC be defunded.

Malacanang said the ‘’constitutional ban’’ on Parlade is debatable since the military is also part of NTF-ELCAC.

Parlade is the AFP Southern Command chief. His command covers Calabarzon, the Bicol region and the island provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon. These areas are said to one of the remaining bailiwicks of the communists’ New People’s Army (NPA).

‘’The majority of senators have spoken and expressed our collective sentiment in a resolution (against Parlade),’’ Lacson said.

Lacson said he has spoken with National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on what action they have decided to take on Parlade's designation as NTF-ELCAC spokesperson. Esperon was Chief of Staff of the AFP.

‘’I'd rather wait for that official action to take place,’’ he added.

Lorenzana said he does not think Parlade wants another government job upon retirement.