PRESIDENT Duterte has appointed retired general Antonio Parlade Jr. as deputy director general of the National Security Council (NSC), presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday.
Parlade’s appointment paper was signed on Wednesday, September 8.
“Deputy Director General Parlade faithfully served the Armed Forces of the Philippines for many years until his retirement from the service. We are therefore confident that his length of fruitful service in the military would immensely contribute in the crafting of plans and policies affecting national security,” the President said.
Parlade, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987, served as commander of the Southern Luzon Command prior to his retirement in July.
He also concurrently served as former spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), during which he was criticized for red-tagging groups and individuals who were critical to the Duterte government, among them organizers of community pantries and students of the University of the Philippines.
He also had a rough patch with senators after calling them “stupid” for demanding the defunding of the NTF-ELCAC over his red-tagging activities.
Prior to Roque’s announcement, Communications undersecretary Lorraine Badoy already congratulated Parlade for his NSC appointment, saying: “Congratulations Security Undersecretary Antonio Parlade! Thank you, Mr. President. You got this right!”
Badoy and Parlade were both spokespersons of the NTF-ELCAC.
