National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. ordered on Sunday that Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. and Lorraine Badoy — both spokespersons for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) are no longer allowed to issue statements on community pantries.
Esperon said in a phone interview on Sunday that Parlade and Badoy will be asked to “Desist in the meantime, not to desist as spokespersons, but from making comments about the community pantry issue.”
Esperon said that the gag order was to remove the confusion on the bayanihan initiative.
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“Kapag nagsalita sila akala kasi ng iba some would take it as the two are against the concept of bayanihan,” Esperon said.
“Ang purpose lang naman to avoid no heated exchanges as if we are red-tagging or saying that bayanihan is bad. But no, we are not, because we ourselves are proponents of bayanihan spirit,” he added.
However, Esperon defended his colleagues saying Parlade and Badoy have initiates bayanihan efforts as well.
“Gen. Parlade has many projects on Bayanihan in his area in Southern Tagalog, and Mimaropa, except Palawan. On the other hand, Undersecretary Badoy is involved in civic organizations and she knows bayanihan,” he said.
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The two officials drew the ire of senators and other high ranking government officials after connecting the Maginhawa community initiative with communist agenda.
Esperon said Parlade and Badoy took the idea of desist order very well, as they understood the situation.
“They understand. They also want to support the bayanihan. So if ang sabi nila kung nagiging are unclear and muddles the perception about community pantry, then they can desist,” Esperon added. (TDT)
