Masbate BM Arevalo on AFP apology: Commendable but not entirely

Masbate Senior Provincial Board Member Jason Arevalo said that the apology issued by the military for mistakenly tagging some UP alumni as members of communist group NPA was “commendable but not entirely.”

Arevalo said that the apology is called manning up and owning up to a mistake.

“Commendable but not entirely. We can only hope our men in uniform will be more circumspect and prudent in releasing names to the public,” said Arevalo, a product of UP.

“Albeit an apology and an erratum are called for, the damage has been done. The reputation of innocent alumni and students of UP are tarnished and their lives and privacy are forever imperiled,” he said.

AFP earlier posted a list of UP alumni who were allegedly recruited by the NPA and have either been dead or captured. The post was taken down immediately.

Included in the list were lawyers, journalists, theater actors among others who deny the allegation.

The AFP issued an apology for the “inconsistencies” in the publication and vowed that those responsible for the post will be held into account.

“When we have millions of people’s money in intelligence funds, we expect more accurate, data-based findings,” Arevalo said

“Though we are thankful for the rectification, the lives of those unceremoniously dragged into this mess would never be the same again,” he added.