Lorenzana stands with Esperon in Facebook post issue

MANILA - The Department of National Defense (NDN) said on Friday it stood with National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. after Facebook flagged a post where he claimed the communist insurgency had infiltrated Congress.

"The Department of National Defense stands behind the NTF-ELCAC and its Vice Chair, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., in airing the concerns of the Filipino people against the threat of the armed communist insurgency," Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.

"As a major social media platform, Facebook should seriously consider improving its mechanisms to promote the truth instead of curtailing the government's efforts to spread awareness and inform the public of issues of national interest," the defense chief added.

Earlier this month, Esperon, who is also the vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said in his profile that all Filipinos should unite against organizations that supported the communist New Peoples' Army.

He also alleged in the post that the Communist Party of the Philippines has infiltrated Congress through the partylist system.

Facebook issued a warning on Esperon's post because it "didn't follow our standards."

The Department of Interior and Local Government earlier criticized the social media platform for flagging Esperon's post. Facebook has yet to respond to the latest government statement on the issue.

• READ: DILG calls out Facebook for flagging post of PH security adviser

This comes amid red-tagging allegedly being done by both the NTF-ELCAC and even President Rodrigo Duterte himself against various groups, especially those aligned with the Makabayan Bloc in Congress.

Presidential bets in the 2022 elections have also been hit by red-tagging, such as Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo and her supporters.

• READ: Health workers' group files raps vs Badoy for red-tagging
• READ: Robredo hits red-tagging of campaign volunteers
• READ: Duterte claims some party-lists acting as NPA’s ‘legal front’