The fight for women’s rights is a revolution that has long been present in our history books. It is unimaginable to live in a world where women do not have the right to vote nor have the freedom to choose their own jobs, but this is the reality that women had to face. With this, multitudes of protests and movements have been created to help women rise against the implications of patriarchy. In the Philippines, the majority of activist groups are in support of protecting women’s rights, and among these groups is Gabriela, the country’s most prominent women’s rights organization.
In a webinar by the organization titled “Mga Tinig ni Nene: Reclaiming our Voices in the International Day of the Child,” actress Liza Soberano spoke about her experiences when she received rape threats online. She shared how emotional she was when she received supportive messages from other women. “I didn’t realize how many women were struggling to stand up for themselves,” she said in the online forum.
What caught the attention of many was the statement made by Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., an AFP high-ranking officer where he warned Soberano to abdicate from the group if she does not want to suffer the fate of Josephine Lapira, a Gabriela youth activist who died two years ago from an encounter with armed authorities. This has caused many negative reactions from netizens, questioning the general’s threatening statement over the actress.
The fight for women’s rights is still an ongoing revolution— an event that will continuously be written in future history books.
The general responded to these criticisms by saying that he was only “warning” the actress over the Gabriela organization, claiming that it was an NPA front. Parlade even said that he himself was a women’s advocate. In his initial statement, however, not only did Lt. Gen. Parlade threaten Liza Soberano, but also called out two other female Filipino celebrities. He urged 2018 Miss Universe winner Catriona Gray to stop associating with leftist activist groups and also accused Angel Locsin, an actress well-known for speaking out against socio-political issues, of associating with rebel groups. “The choice is yours, Liza. And so with you, Catriona. Don’t follow the path Ka Ella Colmenares took in the underground and NPA Quezon. I am sure Angel Locsin and Neri Colmenares will not tell you this,” the general said on a Facebook post.
Senator Risa Hontiveros came to the defense of the celebrities, telling the general, “Do not use your power as a general to intimidate and threaten these women. Your threats and harassment are unacceptable. By silencing them, you condone the violence, rape, and abuse that so many Filipinos are going through.”
The Commission of Human Rights (CHR) also addressed Lt. Gen. Parlade’s statement, referring to it as “tantamount to harassment and red-tagging.” CHR Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana added that “such a statement is a form of suppression and restriction that serves to dissuade those who speak up for their beliefs and advocacies.” The ABS-CBN network also defended Soberano over this issue, saying in their statement that people should “freely participate in meaningful and rational discussions of issues without having to be red-tagged.”
Both Liza Soberano’s and Catriona Gray’s lawyers told the public that the personalities will continue advocating for women’s rights and their own beliefs despite the red-tagging issue. It is situations like Liza Soberano’s that show us how high-ranking officials like General Parlade can easily accuse people of being “terrorists” simply because of speaking up for their advocacies. As Angel Locsin explained on her Instagram post addressing the red-tagging issue, an individual’s different beliefs and opinions don’t make them a terrorist. Red-tagging innocent people with inconclusive evidence is even more dangerous now that the Anti-terrorism Law is in full effect. To think that personalities like Soberano, Gray, and Locsin, who have large audiences, can be red-tagged for speaking out, what more the common Filipino? What more the innocent activists who have been silenced—those who do not have the same legal counsel and support from senators nor the CHR?
The fight for women’s rights is still an ongoing revolution— an event that will continuously be written in future history books. In our age, more and more people are being aware and are standing up for women who have been victims of misogyny and violence. Women, celebrity or not, should no longer live in fear when speaking out about what they believe in.
Sources:
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/10/21/AFP-official-warning-Liza-Soberano.html
https://www.rappler.com/nation/senators-defend-liza-soberano-catriona-gray-vs-parlade-red-tagging
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1351602/chr-parlade-warning-to-liza-soberano-catriona-gray-tantamount-to-harassment-red-tagging
https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/celebrities/abs-cbn-statement-defending-angel-locsin-liza-soberano-parlade-red-tagging
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/10/23/Angel-Locsin-NTF-ELCAC-Parlade-red-tagging-Ella-Colmenares.html
Danielle Liwanag
HiLites ASHS 