NEWS FEATURE

LIZA SOBERANO’S CASE: MANIFESTATION OF KAKISTOCRACY

On the 13th day of October 2020, Liza Soberano, a famous Filipina actress and social
media enthusiast was invited to become a guest speaker for an organization called “Gabriela”
and her discussion would be about the struggles of young teenagers amid the pandemic and
hardships in times like these. Gabriela was founded back in April 1984 in Marcos’
administration to fight for women’s rights and advocate equality amongst every citizen. This
party has been helping in addressing issues in terms of human trafficking, rape and others. The
organization was created in commemoration of the Revolutionary Filipina, Gabriela Silang that
led a revolt against the Spaniards back in 1900’s that changed the perspective and assumption on
women as weak and fragile creatures. In line with this, despite all the positive impacts it has
contributed to the country, the image of the group is not-so pleasant.

There is this stereotype where organizations like them are affiliated with the New
People’s Army or those who want to end the power of the rich and regain the freedom the
government had cast away from them. Basically, the collaboration of the famous artist Liza
Soberano with the body became a big deal for those who are wary of the groups resisting to
government orders.It brought backlash and various views from the mass in different social
media platforms. With regards to this, the reason why people reacted violently was due to the
threat and hidden meaning behind the statement of Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade to Liza
Soberano actions through National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-
ELCAC) Facebook page. Parlade is also the commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
Southern Luzon Command and is vociferous against rights groups and leftist groups. The
seminar done by Liza is revoked by Parlade as a mere inspirational talk for being involved in
such groups implies that you are part of those organizations averse to the administration. The
statement is: "Liza Soberano, there' s still a chance to abdicate that group. If you don't, you will
suffer the same fate as Josephine Anne Lapira.” The lad stated was actually a young activist
from UP Manila, killed during a raid in Nasugbu, Batangas last November 2017 because of her
questionable membership in the New People’s Army.

There is no specific data that shows the relationship of the student and the organization
Liza was standing with therefore it can be inferred that there are fallacies with Parlade’s
warning. With regards to the opinions of the mass, netizens retaliated with the malicious words
of the lieutenant, deeming it as the ironic red-tagging and ridiculous claims on people’s
association with activists groups relying on faint evidences. Some have shared their sentiments
through ranting and even putting up articles analogous to Parlade’s bold move against the artist.
One of Rappler’s writers going with the screen name of Rambo Talabong created a thread on
twitter that showed the alarming interpretation of Parlade’s statement that is actually the narrow
view on what may happen to the country if this ideology continues to exist.

During President Rodrigo Duterte public address on July 8, 2020 he declared that all
communists are labeled as terrorists such as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and
that he has the right to declare them as terrorist with this state of the country because they cannot
be resolved peace talks anymore. However, the existence of the broad definition of communist-
terrorist groups or CTG makes all activists groups and organizations endangered for there is no
specific inclusions. In connection to this, Duterte supporters assumes that all activists are
communists and they are a threat and regarded as terrorist due to the President’s vague
declaration. The security of each citizen deteriorates because one may accuse that another is a
terrorist with just just speculations and even insufficient proof. Department of National Defense
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana allows this kind of actions since those who are falsely accused can
only defend themselves after the damage or threat has been made. Branching topics can be
inserted yet focusing on its correlation to the Anti-Terror Law that is still yet being voiced out to
be revised due to its conflicting and contradicting sections with other republic acts, the slightest
involvement of Liza Soberano to an organization is being questioned and marked as an act that
would lead to terrorism.

Going forth, those who are posting against the government are kept captive and arrested
in violation with the said law. The statement released by Parlade presents that even with the
indefinite affiliation of someone to any group that another may claim to be anti-administration
lead to doubtful massive arrests. Liza Soberano’s voice and brave controversial comments on the
government’s incompetency has sparked the fire among the youth. Her popularity acquired a lot
of people to be drawn back against the government as well due to her influence. It is scathing
how much the government insists that they will follow the law yet they stoop so low with letting
a lieutenant speak and spread such information to the public. The artist did not violate any law
yet the backlash and misconception that built up from her activities creates the image that they
are not keeping up to their words and promises. The position Parlade holds speaks for the
authority’s viewpoint and has set the standards as low as threatening an artist fate with an
irrelevant person’s story and reason of death. Such basis does not only apply to her but to
everyone else that may be involved to any group. Regardless of what organization it may be, as
long as some high official or personnel claims that they are military or rebel will lead to the
ultimate demise of every person which is death.