Former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Antonio Parlade Jr filed on Monday his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the presidency in the 2022 national elections.
Parlade will be substituting for Antonio "Butch" Valdes, who was the presidential bet of Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP) before withdrawing on Saturday.
According to Parlade, he made his decision to run four days ago and was convinced by his party because they believe in his advocacy of national interest.
"This has never been my plan, but as I see it with this political circus, I don't see any future for our country kung palagi na lang tayong ganito," he told the media after filing his COC.
(This has never been my plan, but as I see it with this political circus, I don't see any future for our country if we are always like this.)
Parlade also said he is running under the KDP because "nobody wants his advocacy."
"Why KDP? Because nobody wants me, nobody wants my advocacy because I am not a politician," he explained.
The former NTF-ELCAC spokesperson stressed his advocacy is of national interest and protecting President Rodrigo Duterte after his term.
"My line is clear, my direction is clear, I am to protect the institution, the office of the president should be protected," he told reporters. "And I am running to make sure that I will be able to protect the president beyond his term."
Parlade said that he does not need the president's blessing in order to run, saying that Duterte knows what he has in mind.
"I don't need the blessing of the president," he said, before adding later in his speech that: "Alam ni presidente ang laman ng utak ko ang laman ng puso at di ko kinakailangang magpaalam sa presidente."
(The president knows what's in my mind and heart and I don't need to ask permission from the president.)
However, Parlade will be substituting for Valdes who is listed as "independent" after accreditation issues with KDP.
The former spokesperson, however, said this is an "old issue."
"Ni-resolve na 'yan ng KDP, and that list is just tentative, en banc ang magde-determine whether KDP will remain an accredited party," he said.
(That is resolved by the KDP, and that list is just tentative. En banc will decide whether KDP will remain an accredited party.)
"And the fact that my application, my candidacy for this morning was accepted means that this KDP - Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino - is a legitimate na partido," he added.
(And the fact that my application, my candidacy for this morning was accepted means that this KDP - Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino - is a legitimate party.)
