AFP spokesperson Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo. (File photo)
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it sees Facebook and other social media platforms as tools in effective dissemination of accurate information that would help the public see through the propaganda of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).
"The AFP views Facebook and other (social media) outfits as platforms to disseminate accurate information that would empower our people to see through the lies and reject terrorist organizations masquerading as pro-people," AFP spokesperson Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a media statement.
He also expressed hope that Facebook could be the medium that will help consolidate peoples’ support to the AFP as their true defenders of the state against its enemies.
Arevalo said this is also the reason why the military is appealing to Facebook executives to look into the contents of the accounts of groups that have been taken down like "Hands-Off Our Children" which consists of parents whose children were recruited and afterward taken by the NPA to serving into their ranks.
Earlier, Arevalo said the military shares and advances the advocacy of this group and that members of "Hands Off Our Children" have approached the AFP for help in their efforts to locate their missing children and prevent other parents from suffering a similar fate.
Arevalo said the takedown of the "Hands Off Our Children" benefitted the communist terrorists who are recruiting children and minors.
The AFP thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for questioning Facebook's decision to take down accounts and pages advocating “something” that is good for the people.
“Tell me, kung bakit hindi ko magamit para sa kapakanan ng taong bayan (Tell me, why I cannot use (Facebook) for the welfare of the people). If government cannot use it for the good of the people, then we have to talk. We have to talk sense,” Duterte said in his public address on Monday night.
Duterte was reacting to Facebook's move to take down several pages and accounts allegedly linked to the military and police for “coordinated inauthentic behavior” last week.
"We are thankful (for) the Commander-in-Chief’s expression of support to the AFP’s campaign that, after all, may well be every Filipinos’ war against the Communist Terrorist Group NPA—to include affiliated underground mass organizations— that have caused the misery of our people for more than 50 years," Arevalo said.
He added that the AFP is one with the President in his call for Facebook executives to sit down and discuss with the government how the Filipinos will benefit from the popularity of the social media giant and its presence in the Philippines. (PNA)
