Controversial anti-insurgency official Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. has resigned as spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a Facebook post, Parlade said he resigned “almost a month ago.”
“I want to ease the pressure on the NTF-ELCAC principals who are being questioned by legislators for designating me as spokesman despite my being in the active service,” he said.
“Even then, I want to assure our critics and naysayers that I am not running away from this fight. As a citizen of this country, it behooves me to continue with my patriotic duty to defend our country and end the 52 years onslaught of the CPP-NPA terrorists, whatever legal way I can,” he added.
The CPP-NPA refers to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.
According to Palace spokesman Harry Roque, President Rodrigo Duterte had accepted Parlade’s resignation.
The resigned spokesman often drew criticisms for linking personalities and groups to communism, terrorism and rebellion.
He was earlier given a gag order for “red-tagging” Ana Patricia Non, the organizer of the Maginhawa community pantry, and others.
Parlade will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on July 26. John Ezekiel J. Hirro
