January 29, 2021 THE head of civil-military operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has gone on leave to pave the way for an investigation into the publication of an erroneous list of University of the Philippines (UP) students and alumni who were killed or captured during operations against the New People’s Army (NPA).
Major General Benedict Arevalo, deputy chief of staff for civil-military operations (J7), said he was taking responsibility for the actions of his staff.
“I would like to reiterate that indeed the erroneous list was a mistake committed by J7 staff, and as the chief of Office for Civil Military Operations, J7, I personally take responsibility for their actions. This is the reason why I issued a public apology and reiterated it in my succeeding interviews,” he said.
(UMPIL / PETA)
Magtoto, who is a playwright for PETA, was falsely tagged as one of the 27 UP students who allegedly became rebels. The list was released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Information Exchange.
“We strongly condemn the red-tagging of writer Liza Magtoto, who received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas para sa Dula sa Filipino in 2017,” UMPIL said in Filipino.
UMPIL, who called Magtoto a “defender of women and youth,” sounded alarm over the intensified red-tagging of individuals and students.
“Universities mold students to be smart individuals and good citizens. Campuses should only be kept safe from repression and intimidation. It is necessary to ensure that universities remain open to all thoughts and dispositions. This is important in achieving a truly humane society,” it underscored.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) sounded the alarm over the inclusion of two journalists in the list of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as alleged University of the Philippines (UP) students who became rebels.