March 11, 2021 LIEUTENANT General Antonio Parlade Jr. on Thursday, March 11, 2021, brushed off calls for his resignation as spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac). Parlade said the decision to remove him from this post is not his to make but that of the executive branch. He was reacting to the recommendation of the Senate national defense panel that he should resign because an active military officer could not hold a concurrent civilian post. Parlade is also the commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command. “Of course (I will stay). In fact, the vice chair NTF-Elcac Sec (Secretary Esperon just called to say he has issue[d] official orders for me to remain as spox (spokesperson) effective] 1 January 2021," Parlade said in a text message to reporters.