Liza Soberano Not Afraid of Gen. Parlade's Advice

According to the laywer of the Kapamilya actress Liza Soberano she wasn’t afraid to the affirmation of Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. about her engagement in an online seminar together with the left-leaning Gabriela Youth, and she was confidently continue to enhance her right to free speech “without fear or restraint from anyone.”

 

During the interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, the legal counsel of Liza, Atty. Juanito Lem Jr. said that, “Liza is not afraid of this statement from Gen. Parlade. Though I must state that we take note of the general’s advice, unsolicited as it may sound.”

 “However, please know that Ms. Soberano will continue to exercise her constitutionally-protected right to free speech and expression without fear or restraint from anyone. I think I have to make that very clear right now,” Lim also added.

 

According to the chief of the Southern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Mr. Parlade he was recently respond about the actress when she urged to stop red-tagging her as she is “not yet” part of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, she stated this when guesting in an online seminar hosted by Gabriela Youth.

On the contrary, critics regard his statement as not barely defense of Soberano, considering when he also seemed to have issued a concealed warning to the actress that she will “suffer the same fate” as Josephine Anne Lapira if she does not “abdicate” from the group.

 

Josephine Anne Lapira, 22 years old, a student from the University of the Philippines-Manila who was killed last November 2017, when the military reported that it was encounter between government forces and NPA rebel in Batangas province.

 

Nevertheless, Lim stated that he doesn’t have a sense of any fear on Soberano on the military official’s remarks.

 

“To be candid, I don’t sense any fear on Liza on this matter. Because for one, there is nothing to be afraid about. Our client has not committed any wrong. What she did was merely express her views. That’s it. There is nothing to be afraid about,” he said.

Lim added, “It might be a possibility but not in our case,” in the contrast as to the harm that other groups fear might befell red-tagged individuals.

He also said, “As any civilian would feel, being red-tagged might cause some sort of a chilling effect but going to this particular situation, we feel that there is nothing to worry about as far as Liza is concerned because as we have earlier stated, she has not committed any wrongdoing.”

Otherwise, he also said that the statement of Parlade was only his opinion and the military general even “clears the name” of the actress.

“That is the opinion of Gen. Parlade but if you look at the statement of Gen. Parlade, he also clears the name of our client, and I thank him for that because that is a fact. Liza is not a member of Gabriela Youth nor is she a member of cause-oriented or left-leaning organizations. Liza remains apolitical,” Lim stated.

 

“As a lawyer, I am trained to view things as they are objectively speaking. The statement of Gen. Parlade is an advice, a reminder, unsolicited as it may sound. However, I don’t feel there is a need to be afraid or to fear the statement of the good general. Again, we have not committed any mistake. Liza has not committed any mistake by expressing her views,” he added.