OACPA's Letter of Appeal To VERA Files Nov 18, 2022

By 2028, a world-class Army that is a source of national pride.
HEADQUARTERS
PHILIPPINE ARMY
OFFICE OF THE ARMY CHIEF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Fort Andres Bonifacio, Metro Manila
November 18, 2022
Ellen Tordesillas
President
VERA Files
Dear Pres. Tordesillas,
In your recently published article “Philippine Army is secret partner of SMNI media
group in anti-communist campaign” written by Theresa Martelino-Reyes, dated
November 18, 2022, 11:05AM.
I have two main concerns about your published article. First, the title stating
“Philippine Army is secret partner of SMNI media group…,” is misleading. The
Philippine Army has disclosed its partnership publicly with the Sonshine Media
Network International to support the activities of the Philippine Army in informing the
people and stakeholders in the country and abroad, about the command’s efforts in
the attainment of the national government goals of nation-building, sustainable
peace and security, and for social and economic development.
Screenshot from VERA Files, November 18, 2022 @ 1:18PM
Honor. Patriotism. Duty.

RN: OACPA/PIB/STL-28-07-2022
Screenshot from Google search engine, November 18, 2022 @ 4:21PM
For your perusal, here are some of the published links:
1. #SonshineNewsblast: SMNI, PHL Army nagsanib-pwersa para sa

makakatohanang pagbabalita | October 25, 2022 at 6:09AM
https://www.facebook.com/SMNINews/videos/1152684669003878
2. SMNI Exclusive: Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy's one-on-one interview with Commanding

General of the Philippine Army (CGPA), LTGen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. | October 24,
2022
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2845167262294563
3. SMNI-Philippine Army Partnership

https://www.facebook.com/SMNINews/posts/pfbid022onMY5PKxFeeLAXBJdGEn4roN7AFRe9ibf
EBoXn2s9NMfYPfHDUJeXRKpaeCc1Mpl
4. Army, SMNI sign deal on the media partnership

https://www.facebook.com/YourPhilippineArmy/posts/pfbid02NU3bQ8aD4HenTZTHp4sARp6AZtv
VuRic8q2vpySEU64Zb7WuduBsr6JbTVhSuGfwl
http://army.mil.ph/home/index.php/press-releases-archive-2/1746-army-smni-sign-deal-on-the-
media-partnership
5. Army, stakeholders sustain relief operations in STS “Paeng” affected communities

https://www.facebook.com/YourPhilippineArmy/posts/pfbid0yA8hfJi6mkkt1KJVDBgXATEypHGcS
ZykpquHGZuTBpKwPpCx837kFJs1pxtagAaFl
https://www.army.mil.ph/home/index.php/press-releases-archive-2/1774-army-stakeholders-
sustain-relief-operations-in-sts-paeng-affected-communities
Second, the first sentence in the 8th paragraph of the article is wrongly attributed.
You should not attribute a statement of a person that he or she did not even
mention and only based your statement on the other person’s understanding.
Please know that Theresa Martelino-Reyes and I had a conversation for 15 minutes
yesterday (November 17, 2022 @ 5:18PM) about a story on the said “partnership of
the PH Army with SMNI”. I clarified with Ms. Reyes that what the Army has is a
Memorandum of Partnership Agreement (MOPA) with SMNI to boost our information
campaign on the Army’s effort on the ground. I gladly messaged her to send the
questions through email for me to explain the said MOPA. Ms. Reyes requested
immediate answers as needed by the editor tomorrow morning (November 18,
2022). I responded that I will try my best to inform her about the Memorandum of
Partnership Agreement (MOPA).

The discrepancy here is that the article was already published on November 18,
2022 @ 11:05AM. For your information, my office has not yet issued any answers
to her posted questions.
When the article stated that PA Spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad told VERA Files
that it is part of the military’s human assistance and disaster response program, this
declaration refers to the MOPA and not about Project Mulat, which I am not aware
of. That sentence implied incorrect information.
Other statements made by me are discussions about the MOPA and the command’s
information campaign about peace and nation-building such as humanitarian
assistance and disaster-response efforts.
The Office of the Army Chief Public Affairs, Philippine Army has upright and noble
relations with different entities of the private and government media. Our office
always facilitates media inquiries to provide the necessary information needed by the
people from the Army for transparency and accountability. The Philippine Army
works toward informing the people based on facts and truth. Our office’s mantra
surrounds the words - veritas omnia vincit which means “truth conquers all things”.
As members of the media, we all know that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy
and fairness are fundamentals of good journalism. As VERA Files’ slogan also
states, “Truth is Our Business”, and we all adhere to that.
In this regard, we are calling your attention to correct the two main concerns of this
office. Thanks for your time and we are hoping for your immediate action on the
article.
Link of the published VERA Files article: https://verafiles.org/articles/philippine-army-

is-secret-partner-of-smni-media-group-in-anti-communist-campaign
Respectfully yours,
Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad PA

Army Chief Public Affairs
oacpa.army2012@gmail.com
+63 917 156 4998


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By 2028, a world-class Army that is a source of national pride.

November 18, 2022

Dear Pres. Tordesillas,

Screenshot from VERA Files, November 18, 2022 @ 1:18PM

Honor. Patriotism. Duty.

Screenshot from Google search engine, November 18, 2022 @ 4:21PM

For your perusal, here are some of the published links:

1. #SonshineNewsblast: SMNI, PHL Army nagsanib-pwersa para sa

2. SMNI Exclusive: Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy's one-on-one interview with Commanding

3. SMNI-Philippine Army Partnership

4. Army, SMNI sign deal on the media partnership

5. Army, stakeholders sustain relief operations in STS “Paeng” affected communities

Honor. Patriotism. Duty.

Link of the published VERA Files article: https://verafiles.org/articles/philippine-army-

Col. Xerxes A. Trinidad PA

Honor. Patriotism. Duty.

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