After AFP’s ‘blunder,’ Lacson wants more proof on red-tagging at Senate probe

MANILA, Philippines — Following its “blunder,” Senator Panfilo Lacson now wants the military to submit additional evidence to validate the identities earlier tagged as members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Senate hearings.

As chairman of the Senate committee on national defense, Lacson led the Senate probe’s on alleged red-tagging by the military.

“In view of these recent developments, I have instructed the Secretariat of the Committee on Defense and Security to revisit the final draft of the committee report and require the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to submit additional documentation to validate the identities of the alleged members of the New People’s Army that the AFP and their witnesses had identified during the red-tagging hearings as student activists who were recruited into the ranks of the CPP-NPA,” he said in a text message on Monday.

“Further, the recommendation to criminalize red-tagging really deserves a serious consideration in the yet to be finalized committee report,” Lacson added.

The senator issued the statement when sought to comment on the military’s alleged erroneous list of University of the Philippines graduates suspected to be NPA rebels.

The list was posted on the military’s social media, which they took down on Sunday.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had said the AFP would apologize for it.

“Yes, the AFP will apologize. What reason will they give? I do not know. It’s an unpardonable gaffe,” Lorenzana said.

JE