Gapay ‘grilled,’ then given 4th star

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AFP chief of staff Gilbert Gapay yesterday said the Armed Forces never intended to curtail freedom of speech and expression when he suggested that the regulation of social media use be included in the implementing rules and regulations of the Anti- Terrorism Act of 2020.

Gapay gave this assurance when he was “grilled” by Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon during the confirmation of his rank to four-star general along with the promotion of 29 other military officials before the committee on national defense of the bicameral Commission on Appointments.

After more than three hours of questioning, Sen. Panfilo Lacson recommended that Gapay and 29 other military officials be given the rank commensurate to their respective positions in the AFP, to which no one objected.

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Aside from Gapay, promoted to the rank of lieutenant generals (three-star) were Franco Nemesio Gacal and Jose Faustino Jr. while Gilbert Saret and Alfred Rosario were promoted to major general (two-star).

The other 25 officers were promoted to colonels in the Army and Marines, and captains (equivalent to colonel) in the Navy.

Drilon said he was concerned with what Gapay had suggested — regulating the use of social media to combat terrorism since doing so is against the Constitution which guarantees the freedom of speech and expression.

Drilon said since the AFP is one of the agencies that will implement the new law, the suggestion to regulate social media use was not included in the law.

“What I am just concerned is there should be attempt on the government to impose prior restraint (but rather) hold these media outlets and authors responsible for what they write and say,” Drilon said.

Gapay clarified that what he meant by regulating social media use was for social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and the like, adding a terrorist should not be able to exploit social media to advance or promote terrorism.

“We don’t intend to really curtail freedom of expression as guaranteed by our Constitution and we don’t want to impose prior restraint to anybody and what we are suggesting are the acts themselves should be regulated pertaining to really combating terrorism,” Gapay said.

Gapay also gave assurance that he will not let any member of the AFP to “entertain” any invitation to join the revolutionary government proposed by supporters of President Duterte.

“Although we are entitled individually (to express our views), but as (the) Armed Forces, we will not allow anybody to be part of this movement and to actively participate in the furtherance of the goals and objectives of the group pushing for the establishment of a revolutionary government,” Gapay said.

Gapay said calls for a RevGOv are a political matter, aside from being unconstitutional, the reason why the AFP does not support it in any way.

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