AFP’s ‘edited’ photo authentic: Palace

 Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he was told by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the digitally edited photo used by the AFP was “authentic.” (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Sunday came to the defense of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which has been in hot water for allegedly manipulating the photo of the surrender of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he was told by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the digitally edited photo used by the AFP was “authentic.”

Hence, Panelo was convinced the release of the edited photo of former communist rebels is not tantamount to manipulation.

“Nagkausap lang kami ngayong ni Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Ang paliwanag sa kanya, ‘yung dalawang pictures na ‘yun, pinagsama lang. Kumbaga authentic pareho ‘yun (I talked to Secretary Delfin Lorenzana just now. His explanation is the two pictures were combined. So both are authentic),” he said in an interview with dzIQ.

 “Hindi naman minanipulate. Pinagsama ‘yung dalawang pictures pinagsama sa isang picture (It’s not manipulated. That’s a mere combined photos, two photos combined in one picture). So that’s not manipulation,” the Palace official added.

The Philippine Army earlier released a press statement about the mass surrender of 306 communist rebels in Milagros town in Masbate province on December 26.

In one of the photos, the former communists appeared to be floating on air, while another photo showed that one of the rifles allegedly turned over by the rebels had a tag with “18 June 2019.”

On Friday, the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division issued an apology for releasing a photo of former NPA insurgents in Masbate, and explained that the “photoshopping” was meant to “ensure the safety” of those who surrender and their families.

Panelo said it would be unacceptable, if the photo is “fake.”

“It would be different kung hindi totoo yung sinama doon para lumabas na marami yung nag-surrender (if the photo is fake to show to the public that many have surrendered),” he said.

On Saturday, Lorenzana ordered the conduct of an investigation on individuals who took part in the editing of the handout photo from the Philippine Army.

Lorenzana also assured the public that sanctions will be imposed against uniformed personnel who are involved in the edited images of former rebels and old firearms.

Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, spokesperson of the AFP, likewise guaranteed that the military is seriously taking the issue on the “photoshopped” photo.