AFP chief asks Facebook Philippines to restore Hands Off Our Children account

September 24, 2020

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay asked  Facebook if they can restore Hands Off Our Children after its account was taken down by the social media giant.

Major Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, said Gapay made the inquiry during the courtesy call of FB-Philippines Policy Team led by Clare Amador to Gapay on Wednesday.

"While submitting to the FB’s ownership of the platform, AFP Chief Gen Gilbert Gapay urged Ms. Amador and her team to look into the process they observed in unilaterally removing accounts and for them to give due regard to the cause the account owner espouse to remove doubts of FB being partisan," he said.

"Specifically, he inquired if FB can restore Hands Off Our Children and other groups of similar advocacies like preventing child exploitation and trafficking of minors, and combating terrorism that may have been taken down," he added.

In his statement, Gapay expressed support to the HOOC, a group of parents "who are fighting to protect their children against violent extremism."

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines regrets the decision of Facebook to take down the page of Hands Off Our Children, a campaign launched by a group of parents who are fighting to protect their children against violent extremism," said Gapay.

"Their grievances are legitimate, and their calls 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," he said.

"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 said "the AFP stands by and extends its immutable support to Jacqueline Mendoza, Relissa Lucena, Jovita Antoniano, and Elvy Caalaman, among countless other parents who have become the faces of Hands Off Our Children and were affected by this incident."

"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," he said. Robina Asido/DMS