Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana relieved on Thursday the military’s intelligence chief of his post following the publication of an error-riddled list of individuals tagged as members of the New People’s Army (NPA) which, it said, had either been killed or arrested.
The list, which partly became the basis of military officials in branding the University of the Philippines (UP) as a recruitment ground for rebels and the abrogation of the UP and Department of National Defense Accord, include the names of individuals, including well known lawyers and former government officials.
“I am relieving MGen [Major General] Alex Luna from his post as Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, J2, effective today [January 28, 2021],” said Lorenzana in a news statement released through the office of DND spokesman Arsenio “Popong” Andolong.
“The publication of an erroneous list, originating from his office, OJ2, of alleged NPA killed by the military is an unforgivable lapse,” the defense chief stressed.
Luna’s relief came just days after the defense chief said that the flawed list and its public disclosure was an “unpardonable gaffe” after one of the individuals named in the list, lawyer Rafael Aquino, a UP graduate and member of the Free Legal Assistance Group, demanded for a public apology from military officials.
Other personalities named in the list include lawyer Alex Padilla, a former undersecretary of the Department of Health and president of PhilHealth, and Juan Mercado, a former executive of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Following Aquino’s call, Maj. General Benedict Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief of staff for civil-military operations (J7), issued an apology, saying it was his office that prepared the list.
He said an investigation was also being conducted to determine where the list emanated from.
The military’s information arm, AFP Intelligence Exchange, whose has presence on the social media, which also carried the list on its Facebook page, has since taken down the list from its page.
Lorenzana was stern in his statement in relieving Luna as chief of the military’s intelligence office.
“His negligence only shows a lackadaisical attitude towards his job, resulting to confusion and damage to reputation. We do not take these offenses lightly and I want to hold the people involved accountable,” the defense chief said.
The military’s circulation of the list was followed later by statements from other military officials claiming that 18 schools and universities, nearly all of which are in Metro Manila, are recruitment grounds for rebels.