A party-list legislator on Wednesday advised the military to stick to facts, even in its press releases, to win the trust and support of the people.
Rep. Ron Salo of Kabayan said the people’s outrage over the allegedly “doctored” photograph of rebel surrenderors “is understandable and justified.”
Salo said that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s order for an investigation, “is both prudent and commendable.”
“Indeed, sound crowd analysis of the admittedly ‘photoshopped’ image of alleged surrenderors is enough basis for an internal probe and possible sanctions ranging from administrative penalties to court-martial to those responsible. I hope there was no malice involved, but pure inadvertence,” Salo, chairperson of the House committee on public information, said.
“That single doctored image may cast doubt on the news releases and information campaigns of the entire armed forces, and possibly even that of the police.”
Salo also expressed concern over the “possible future consequences like delays in the release of information because of the abundance of caution the military would exercise as control measures.”
The military, and even the police, he added, must stick to the truth even in its propaganda materials and the facts must not be sacrificed.