Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, Sept. 9 criticized President Duterte’s move to appoint Antonio Parlade, Jr. to the National Security Council (NSC), saying it would cause national insecurity and instability.
“I do not understand at all why President Duterte is so committed to recycling disgraced officials to new government posts and rewarding bad behavior among public employees,” Hontiveros said.
“I worry that General Parlade’s appointment to the NSC will only cause national insecurity and instability, given his previous actions,” she said.
Parlade has resigned as National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson after being heavily criticized for red-tagging celebrities, lawmakers, various organizations, particularly those who put up community pantries to help the poor affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senators had earlier moved to censure Parlade after calling them “stupid” when lawmakers vowed to defund the NTF-ELCAC’s budget due to the agency’s relentless attacks against civilians they suspect to be allied with communist rebels.
“We have many officers qualified to serve as Deputy Director-General of the NSC who are not spreading fake news and red-tagging everything from community pantries to celebrities. Bakit ito pang si General Parlade ang napili (Why choose Gen. Parlade)?” she lamented.