To say the least, Duterte’s appointment of Gen. Antonio Parlade to his National Security Council (NSC) is disgusting and nauseating. The appointment of the unrepentant red-tagger and human rights violator is clearly reward for dutifully serving and defending Duterte’s reign of fascist tyranny, treachery and corruption.

By placing Gen. Parlade in the NSC, Duterte is promoting the abusive practice of red-tagging to the level of national policy. It will surely embolden Gen. Parlade and his ilk in their incessant attacks against democratic people’s organizations which have invariably been subjected to suppression on the pretext of counterinsurgency.

Gen. Parlade must still answer for all his fascist crimes against the people of Southern Tagalog and Bicol. As former commander of the Southern Luzon Command, he is responsible for the string of murders committed by the military and police forces, from the coordinated killing of nine activists last March 7 in Southern Tagalog, the extrajudicial killing of NDFP consultants Eugenia Magpantay and Agaton Topacio in November 25, 2020 to the successive murder of peasant leaders across the Bicol region.

He deserves to be indicted before the revolutionary people’s courts and be made to face punishment.