Lacson to AFP: Censure those responsible in UP red-tagging gaffe

MANILA, Philippines— The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) must censure those responsible for alleged erroneous list certain University of the Philippines (UP) graduates to communists, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Monday.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had already said the AFP would apologize for what he called as “an unpardonable gaffe.”

“It takes a lot of humility for SND Lorenzana to publicly apologize for the AFP’s blunder,” Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense, said in a text message when sought for comment on the issue .

“That said, the AFP leadership must see to it that the ones directly responsible for such an error are censured accordingly not only for putting the defense establishment in an awkward and embarrassing position but more so, the possible dire consequences that could occur because of such irresponsible and imprudent act,” the senator added.

Several individuals and groups had quickly condemned their inclusion in the said list posted on the Facebook page of the AFP Information Exchange supposedly being managed by the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations (OJ-7).

Because of this “blunder,” Lacson directed his committee to revisit the final draft report on the red-tagging probe it earlier conducted.

The committee, he said, must also require the AFP to submit additional proof against individuals it earlier tagged as New People’s Army rebels during the probe.

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

JE