AFP seeks intensified presence in social media to counter Reds

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wants to make its presence felt in social media further to counter the alleged propaganda and recruitment operations by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Facebook and other social media platforms.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay expressed regret that the Facebook page Hands Off Our Children (HOOC) was among those that were shutdown for inappropriate coordinated behavior.

The HOOC is a social media campaign launched by a group of parents who are fighting to protect their children against violent extremism.

“The reason why the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA is still there is because of their propaganda and they are very much present in the social media,” said Gapay.

“We should be there (social media). One of the highlights of our revision in our campaign plan is the public information operations aspect of our anti-insurgency campaign wherein the public should know the programs of the government,” he added.

Facebook had taken down at least 100 fake Facebook accounts, some of them traced to the police and the military, discussing topics elated to terrorism and NPA recruitment and local politics.

Gapay said the grievances of HOOC are legitimate and their calls to stop violence and recruitment of the NPA is urgent.

“The recruitment machinery of the communist terrorist group has long been found to victimize students, conditioning them to become cadres and armed members of the New People's Army,” said Gapay.

“Their Facebook page was instrumental to their campaign to raise awareness on the vulnerability of children at the hands of communist front organizations. Its arbitrary shutdown adds to the limited spaces afforded to them and the unsympathetic ears of some sectors,” he added.

Gapay has met top officials of Facebook in the Philippines to raise the issue pertaining to the use of Facebook on terrorism and communist insurgency in the country.

“We hope that, as we look on to a new partnership with Facebook Philippines, that similar legitimate advocacies will be respected, if not uplifted, to prevent the spread of violent extremism and protect every Filipino child from the communist terror group,” said Gapay.