MANILA - Military officials must resign over a false list of supposed University of the Philippines students turned communist rebels, a professor said Tuesday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines had apologized for the list and said an investigation was underway on how it was published on social media. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the list an "unpardonable gaffe."

• Social media blunder: AFP apologizes over false list of supposed NPA rebels
• Colmenares to AFP: Sorry not enough, stop red-tagging

An apology is never enough, said Professor Danilo Arao of the UP Department of Journalism.

"Kung naniniwala po tayo sa konsepto ng command responsibility ang pinakahonorable na paraan para maresolba ang isyung ito ng pagapaplaganap ng maling impormasyon ay mag-resign yung dapat mag-resign," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(If we believe in the concept of command responsibility, the most honorable way to resolve this issue of spreading false information is for those accountable to resign.)

"At ang magreresign syempre hindi lang yung nagpost mismo sa soc media kundi sino ba ang pinakahepe o pinuno ng establisimyentong 'yun."

(And those who should doe snot only include the one who posted it on social media but the chief of the establishment.)

When asked if this should include the AFP chief, Arao said: "Tama po 'yun, even up to the level of the Department of National Defense kasi these are very serious allegations that could endanger the security and lives of our alumni. Hindi po kasi biro ang tinatawag nating red-tagging."

(That's right, even up to the level of the Department of National Defense because these are very serious allegations that could endanger the security and lives of our alumni. Red-tagging is not a joke.)

The DND last week unilaterally abrogated its accord with UP on the entry of state forces on campus ground. Lorenzana said he has sought a meeting with UP President Danilo Concepcion, who earlier urged the DND to "reconsider and revoke" its decision.

• EXPLAINER: What is the 1989 UP-DND accord on campus access of state forces?

Lorenzana initially asked the state university to explain why some of its students allegedly died in government operations against communist rebels.

• Defense chief asks for meeting with UP President over accord abrogation
• Defense chief to UP: Explain deaths of students in NPA encounters, then we'll talk

Several universities have slammed the claim of the
National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict that their campuses serve as “recruitment havens” for communist rebels.

• Several universities blast AFP claim campuses are NPA ‘recruitment havens’

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