After Facebook accounts takedown, AFP, PNP insist adherence to rules

The chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police on Wednesday underscored that their respective social media accounts have always adhered to policies, after Facebook's move of taking down accounts and pages that were supposedly linked to the AFP and the PNP. 

At a joint press conference, AFP chief General Gilbert Gapay stressed that the military does not tolerate the uploading fake news, and fictitious social media accounts. He also said all official accounts of the AFP are still "up and running."

"I would just like to inform everyone that all the official accounts of the Armed Forces are up and running... hindi naman sila nakasama doon sa mga na-take down," Gapay said.

Facebook's action prompted the AFP leadership to check the personal accounts of their personnel, according to Gapay. This incident also urged the AFP to remind its men of the etiquette that must be observed in using social media.

"We're looking into personal accounts actually... baka ito rin 'yung tinutukoy ng Facebook Philippines. Baka personal accounts din 'yung kasama dito, just the same, we will be looking into that," Gapay said.

"Okay lang naman kasi 'yan basta we follow the rules... parang kalsada din 'yan eh, you can use whenever you want as long as you follow traffic rules. Ganoon din naman sa social media," he added.

For his part, PNP chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan vowed that the police will continue to adhere to the institutional policy which promotes observance of cyber etiquette and proper decorum in all public engagements including social media platforms, chat groups, and private sites.

"We also recognize that social media is an effective tool that technology can offer, especially at this period of health emergency, to establish proactive information and awareness activities as well as harmonious relationship with communities," Cascolan said.

He noted that the official Facebook accounts of PNP and those of its lower units remain compliant with standards and continue to serve its purpose along these objectives.

"Thus, all comments and opinions of individual personnel, associations and sectoral groups on matters that are not related to the organization's activities are hereby disowned by the PNP as unofficial and unauthorized," he said.

Cascolan also said the PNP respects the administrative action of Facebook.

The social media giant removed a network of fake accounts and pages allegedly linked to the Philippine military and police due to coordinated inauthentic behavior.

The said network posted about domestic politics, the military's activities against terrorism, the anti-terrorism bill, criticism of communism, youth activists and the opposition, criticism of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. —LBG, GMA News