Esperon, 2 others told: Answer red-tagging raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has directed three former officials of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to respond to a complaint filed in connection with their statements against a lawyers’ group in 2020.

The ombudsman ordered former national security adviser Hermogenes Esperon, retired lieutenant general Antonio Parlade Jr. and former NTF-ELCAC spokesperson and former Presidential Communications Operations Office undersecretary Lorraine Badoy to respond to the complaint filed by the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL).

The complaint stemmed from the statements made by the three officials linking the NUPL to communist organizations.

The NUPL filed an administrative complaint for grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service, grave abuse of authority and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The NUPL asked the ombudsman to impose a penalty of dismissal from service and suspend them pending the conduct of investigation.

The June 16 order, a copy of which was received by the NUPL on Friday, gave the three former officials 10 days to file their counter-affidavit.

“Quite belated as it is, we have mixed feelings this complaint is taking off somehow. Regrettably, the respondents are for now already out of office,” NUPL president Edre Olalia said in a statement yesterday.

“More tragically, we have since the filing in December 2020 lost more, suffered too much and still endure the vicious red-tagging that continues to this very moment,” he added.

Olalia said they will continue to pursue the case and other legal remedies even after the three officials stepped down from their posts.

“If based solely on the merits, the facts, evidence and the law, we stand by our complaint and there should be no other considerations that must come into play,” he said. – Robertzon Ramirez