MANILA\/DUBAI
\nPhotos of a Filipino appearing to be a member of Israel\u2019s troops in Gaza will be investigated by the Philippine National Police, its chief said, after the man\u2019s social media posts went viral showing a rifle with the PNP\u2019s logo.
\nScreenshots of the posts showing Justin Flores were shared last week by the X handle Israel Genocide Tracker, which scours the internet to find and publicize the actions of Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
\nThe content shared by the X account comprises photos and videos that Israeli soldiers themselves have published online.
\nThe posts range from selfies and pranks among the ruins of houses to blowing up buildings in Gaza, waving women\u2019s underwear and rifling through the property of Palestinian civilians.
\nThe photos and videos from the social media of Flores showed destroyed neighborhoods in Gaza and himself posing amid the rubble.
\nAnother post with the line \u201cProud to be Israeli\/Filipino\u201d shows a rifle bearing the seal of the Philippine police on the ammunition magazine. It is attached to a belt with Hebrew writing.
\n\u201cI\u2019ll have it investigated,\u201d PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil told Arab News in a text message on Monday evening.
\n\u201cHe is using a TAVOR firearm here. Not the issued rifle for the PNP.\u201d
\nThe weapon is an assault rifle, designed and produced by Israel Weapon Industries. In 2018, the Philippine News Agency reported the acquisition of Tavor rifles for the nation\u2019s police and coast guard.
\nWhile the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it was waiting for a report from its embassy in Tel Aviv, it confirmed to Arab News that Flores was an Israeli, while his mother held dual Philippine-Israeli citizenship.
\nHis alleged participation in Israel\u2019s deadly war on Gaza has, however, already triggered outrage in his ancestral home and questions over how his Israeli citizenship was acquired, as according to Israel\u2019s Nationality Law, military service streamlines the process.
\n\u201cDid he acquire Israeli citizenship by serving in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)? If so, it seems the IDF relies on fighters from overseas to do their dirty work,\u201d said Renato Reyes, president of BAYAN, the Philippines\u2019 largest alliance of grassroots groups.
\n\u201cIt is just shameful that a Filipino would be part of Israeli genocide against Palestinians. We were a colonized people, and we should have more in common with the Palestinians than the Israeli occupiers.\u201d
\nDrieza A. Lininding, chairman of the civic organization Moro Consensus Group, said individuals joining fighting abroad should be tracked.
\n\u201cThose joining the IDF and genocide against Palestinians should be treated as terrorists and must be arrested the moment they land here in the Philippines. This is in conformity with the Philippines\u2019 vote in the UN condemning the genocide,\u201d he told Arab News.
\n\u201cThe government must regard them as a threat to our national security.\u201d
\nIf such persons still hold Philippine citizenship, they may lose it under the Commonwealth Act 63, \u201cby accepting commission in the military, naval or air service of a foreign country,\u201d Attorney Farah Decano, dean of the College of Law at the Lyceum Northwestern University, told Arab News.
\nShe said the unauthorized use of the PNP logo was also a violation. \u201cThe problem, however, is that the use is in Israel. Our criminal jurisdiction is only in the Philippines,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cIt gives the impression that we are providing arms to the Israelis which the government must immediately deny. The Philippine government must request Israeli government for the confiscation of such arms.\u201d
\nIsrael\u2019s relentless air and ground attacks on Gaza have killed over 45,000 Palestinians and injured more than 101,000, according to Gaza Health Ministry data. But the real toll is feared to be much higher.
\nA study published by the medical journal The Lancet estimated in July that the true number of those killed could be more than 186,000.
\nThe estimate took into consideration deaths as a result of starvation, injury and lack of access to medical aid as Israeli forces have destroyed most of Gaza\u2019s infrastructure and blocked the entry of aid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MANILA\/DUBAI Photos of a Filipino appearing to be a member of Israel\u2019s troops in Gaza will be investigated by the Philippine National Police, its chief said, after the man\u2019s social media posts went viral showing a rifle with the PNP\u2019s logo. Screenshots of the posts showing Justin Flores were shared last week by the X […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":441881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-441860","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n