Actress Angel Locsin criticized Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr, Southern Luzon military commander and spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), after he “warned” actress Liza Soberano against supporting women’s group Gabriela.
On her Instagram stories on Thursday, October 22, Locsin said: “A man calling out a woman on how she should advocate women’s rights. How 1920s.”
The actress had shared a Rappler graphic on the news report about Parlade’s statement.
The military general said that if Soberano continued to support Gabriela, she’d die just like activist Josephine “Jo” Lapira, a UP Manila student who died in a clash between government troops and suspected members of New People’s Army in Nasugbu, Batangas, in November 2017.
Palarde also said Soberano and other “celebrity targets” should stop supporting Gabriela and other rights groups, just like what celebrity Angel Locsin has done.
Palarde’s statements were met with criticism. Parlade is the most vocal military voice against rights groups and Leftist groups, often issuing statements without basis on social media. (READ: On social media, PH military declares war vs rights defenders)
Soberano’s lawyer Jun Lim later issued a statement denouncing the red-tagging of the actress that followed her participation in a webinar led by Gabriela Youth. In the Gabriela Youth forum, Soberano called on influencers to lend their voices involving issues of women and children.
Senators Risa Hontivero and Kiko Pangilinan also called Palarde out for his statements against Soberano. Hontiveros reminded Palarde not to use his position to intimidate and threaten women.
“According to the Constitution, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector, not oppressor, of the people. These threatening statements are uncalled for and unprofessional, and should be called out,” Pangilinan, meanwhile, said.
Gabriela and Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) also threw their support behind Soberano, saying Parlade should apologize to the actress.
Soberano is among the biggest stars in showbiz today. She’s starred in major TV and movie projects, and was supposed to play the iconic Filipino superhero Darna, a role Locsin is best known for. – Rappler.com
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