‘How 1920s’: Angel Locsin blasts Parlade over remarks on Liza Soberano

MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya actress Angel Locsin has criticized Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. for warning fellow actress Liza Soberano against supporting women’s group Gabriela, saying the military general’s statement reminds her of the 1920s.

Locsin posted on Thursday an Instagram story about Parlade’s statement on Soberano, with a caption that read: “A man calling out a woman on how she should advocate women’s rights. How 1920s.”

In another Instagram story, Locsin also shared the comment of Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, on Parlade’s remarks about the young actress.

Hontiveros earlier said that Parlade, chief of the Southern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, should not use his authority to “threaten” and issue warnings against Soberano.

Locsin, alongside Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, was also mentioned in the statement of Parlade on Wednesday where he urged critics not to red-tag Soberano as she is “not yet” with the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“The choice is yours, Liza. And so with you, Catriona. Don’t follow the path Ka Ella Colmenares (Angel’s sister) took in the underground and NPA Quezon. I am sure Angel Locsin and (former party list lawmaker) Neri Comenares will not tell you this,” Parlade said.

The military official issued the statement after Soberano participated in an online seminar hosted by left-learning Gabriela Youth.

However, critics perceived his remarks as not a mere defense for Soberano, as he warned the actress that she will “suffer the same fate” as Josephine Anne Lapira if she does not “abdicate” from the group.

Lapira, 22, was a student of the University of the Philippines-Manila who was killed in November 2017 in what the military reported as an encounter in Batangas province between government forces and NPA rebels.

Parlade, however, said on Friday that critics have taken his statement “out of context.”

EDV