FORMER Southern Luzon (Solcom) commanding general, Lt. General Antonio ‘Jun’ Parlade, is back in government service, barely two months after his retirement, this time as Deputy Director General (DDG), National Security Council (NSC).
Presidential spokesman, Atty. Harry Roque, in a statement, confirmed that Pres. Duterte signed Parlade’s appointment to the NSC last September 8, 2021.
“Deputy Director-General Parlade faithfully served the Armed Forces of the Philippines for many years until his retirement from the service.
“We are therefore confident that his length of fruitful service in the military would immensely contribute in the crafting of plans and policies affecting national security.
“We wish DDG Parlade well in his new assignment,” read the brief statement to the media issued by Roque the following day.
Aside from being Solcom area commander, Parlade also served, pro bono, as spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a position where he earned the ire not only of the front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in and out of Congress, but also, from the CPP’s political allies in both chambers of Congress for his direct and no-holds barred statements in the propaganda war between the government and the CPP.
Parlade officially retired last July 26, 2021 and was succeeded to the Solcom post by M/Gen. Bob Bacarro, a recipient of the ‘Medal of Valor’ and erstwhile commander of the 2nd Infantry Division. Prior to this, Bacarro also served as AFP spokesman.
In another statement, Malacañang, thru Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, announced last September 11, 2021, the appointment of former Philippine National Police (PNP) director general, P/Gen. Debold Sinas, as “undersecretary” at the Office of the President.
Sinas was the 25th Chief PNP, from November 2020 up to May 2021. He was subsequently replaced by his “mistah” at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1987, P/Gen. Guillermo Tolentino Eleazar.
Eleazar would serve as the 26th Chief PNP until his retirement this coming November 13, 2021, unless his term is extended by Pres. Duterte.