MANILA, Philippines — Military officials and members of women's group Gabriela will face a Senate panel next Tuesday to discuss red-tagging, Sen. Ping Lacson confirmed.
Lacson, who chairs the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation on Wednesday filed a resolution directing the panel to “exercise its oversight authority over the defense sector on the issue of red-tagging/red-baiting of certain celebrities, personalities, institutions, and organizations.”
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"After seeking the opinion of [Senate President Tito] Sotto on Senate Resolution 559, he said, since it is in the exercise of the Senate’s oversight function, first reading in plenary may be waived, or not necessary. First public hearing is scheduled next week, Nov 3," Lacson said on Twitter on Thursday.
After seeking the opinion of SP Sotto on Senate Resolution 559, he said, since it is in the exercise of the Senate’s oversight function, first reading in plenary may be waived, or not necessary. First public hearing is scheduled next week, Nov 3.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) October 29, 2020
The senator filed the resolution following a series of so-called warnings and accusations hurled by Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., spokesman for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, against celebrities, local government leaders and a women's group.
The intended outcome of the probe, Lacson said in the resolution, is to craft “proper guidelines that will prevent misunderstanding between the public and the military and ensuring the protection of the constitutional rights of the people.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Lacson said Parlade seems committed to his mission against communist rebels but added that the general "over-analyzes and over-talks, with some of his public statements threatening to affect his mission."
"Under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, only the court can proscribe a group like the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization. On the other hand, the purpose of surveillance work is defeated when the subject becomes aware that he is being tailed," he also said, adding the chief of the Southern Luzon Command could show "a little prudence and self-discipline," he said.
Lacson is principal author at the Senate of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the implementing rules and regulations of which allow the government to publish its list of suspected terrorists online and in the national dailies.
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