(UPDATED: October 27, 2020)
On October 23, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that he's calling for a meeting with the members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to discuss Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade's remarks about Liza Soberano, Catriona Gray, and Angel Locsin. He said, "'Wag mong sabihin na leftist 'yan, NPA 'yan, dapat may ebidensya tayo. Otherwise, just keep quiet."
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President Rodrigo Duterte echoes these sentiments. On Monday, October 26, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, "The President has spoken through Secretary Delfin Lorenzana when he warned both police and military authorities to be very careful in red-tagging" and there is "no need to publicize kung sino ang mga suspected communists." Red-tagging refers to "the act of labeling, branding, naming and accusing individuals and/or organizations of being left-leaning, subversives, communists or terrorists (used as) a strategy...by State agents, particularly law enforcement agencies and the military, against those perceived to be 'threats' or 'enemies of the State.'"
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On October 20, Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade took to Facebook to tell the public not to "red-tag" actress Liza Soberano for supporting women's rights. Instead, they should be "[educating] her and the other celebrity targets of Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA), the Underground Mass Organization hiding under Gabriela." This came after Liza spoke on a Facebook Live webinar, Tinig Ni Nene: Reclaiming Our Voice On The International Day Of The Girl Child, organized by Gabriela Youth.
Posted on the Southern Luzon Command Facebook page, Parlade warned the 22-year-old not to "follow the path Ka Ella Colmenares (Locsin) took in the underground and NPA Quezon."
Angel Locsin responded to the issue via an Instagram post with the hashtags #NoToRedTagging #YesToRedLipstick.
Angel denied Parlade's claim: "To set the record straight, hindi po ako parte ng NPA or any terrorist group. Neither my sister nor my Kuya Neri is a part of the NPA or any terrorist group."
The actress went on to remind everyone that under the Constitution, Filipinos are free to express themselves. People have different views and beliefs, and everyone has the right to their own opinions. Angel said, "Kung magkaiba tayo, hindi ibig sabihin pwede mo na ako i-red tag. Hindi tayo magkakalaban dito. Hindi rin ako 'red.' Magkaiba lang tayo ng paniniwala."
She continued, "Nanawagan po ako sa kinauukulan, na itama po ang mali na ito. Tigilan na po ang red-tagging. The statement made is utterly false and places ordinary citizens like us, those who they swore to protect, in danger."
Like Senator Risa Hontiveros, Angel also defended Liza and Catriona, asking everyone to support the two "just because they are expressing their beliefs peacefully." She ended her post to remind the public that the statement made about her and her family are "baseless and reckless" and it jeopardizes their safety.
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