CPP-NPA maintain policy of using ‘child soldiers’
Govt. offers help to COVID-19 afflicted terrorists
DESPITE regularly paying lip-service to upholding the rights of children to be free from violence and shielded from armed conflicts, the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), continue to recruit, arm and deploy children in their armed struggle against the government, with the rescue of 5 more NPA ‘child soldiers’ in three separate clashes in Bukidnon province from September 8, 2021 to September 10, 2021.
Major General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., 4th Infantry Division commander, said their record thus far showed a total of 62 children turned armed combatants by the NPA, had surrendered or were captured by his men during armed encounters with the terrorist group.
Brawner also assailed the CPP-NPA for their continued disregard of the international humanitarian laws (IHLs) banning the recruitment of children as soldiers as well as RA 11888 (‘Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act’).
“The NPA allowing minors to be with the group of armed men has clearly disregarded the safety and welfare of the children.
“Instead of protecting them, let them go to school and enjoy their childhood, the NPA tramples children’s rights by continuing to recruit minors who they can easily take advantage of and who are easily swayed by their false promises to join their senseless cause,” Brawner said.
RA 11188 declares children as “zones of peace,” aimed at protecting them in situations of armed conflict from all forms of abuse and violence.
Enlisting or recruiting children under the age of 18 years, the legal age in the Philippines, into an armed force or group other than the national armed forces and using children under the age of 18 to participate actively in hostilities is a crime under Paragraph 24, Section 4C, Article 3 of the IHL.
“We must all condemn the NPA’s blatant violation of children’s rights.
“These minors were deceived and manipulated, we can prevent the NPA’s recruitment by monitoring the activities of our children and teaching them to be wary and vigilant against the CPP-NPA and their front organizations,” the military official added.
COVID-19 infesting terrorist ranks
During the military clash last September 8 in San Fernando, Bukidnon, members of the 88TH Infantry Battalion were surprised to learn that 3 of the 10 terrorists they captured from the CPP-NPA’s Guerilla Front (GF) Malayag, Sub-regional Committee 2, North Central Mindanao Regional Party Committee (NCMRPC), were of minor age or, below 18 years old, the legal age in the Philippines.
Of the 10, 6 are males and 4 are females, including the three minors and seven indigenous peoples (IPs).
Those arrested are believed part of the 20-man NPA band the soldiers encountered in Bgy. Mabuhay, San Fernando.
Brawner added that 2 of the 10 they captured were wounded during the clash. One of the wounded rebels is now in stable condition in a hospital while the other one was turned over to the local police.
Through the assistance of Rebecca C. Marva, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer of San Fernando, the 3 child-soldiers were identified as: alias Jef, male, 11; alias Taburok, female, 17; and alias Daniel, male, believed to be under 18.
Alias Taburok, an IP, said they are all relatives of NPA members.
She added that a certain alias Daligas, who was killed in a military encounter sometime in 2020, was his uncle.
She claimed to have been invited by his uncle for a visit in an NPA lair only but was no longer allowed to return home; underwent teach-ins and eventually became an NPA member for two years.
In two more fresh clashes on September 9 and September 10, 403rd Brigade commander, B/Gen. Ferdinand Barandon, said one terrorist was killed and four more were captured, two of them minors, by elements from the 88th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Colonel James Christian Vingno.
Barandon informed Brawner and higher Army headquarters that the clashes took place in Talakag and Valencia City, all in Bukidnon province against the members of the NPA’s ‘Platoon Bagsik,’ GF Malayag. Aside from the arrests, Barandon said they also recovered 6 assault rifles.
The minors were identified as alias ‘RK,’ 15 and, ‘Jason,’ 17.
What is also worrying, Brawner added, is that the post-mortem examination of the dead NPA and those arrested also showed them to be COVID-19 positive.
Brawner, in a statement on September 13, 2021, said among those who got afflicted by COVID-19 are ‘Ka Jilian’ who was killed in the clash in San Fernando and 7 others from among those captured.
Of those captured in San Fernando, the COVID-19 carriers are the minors Taburok and Daniel.
On the other hand, the four arrested NPA in the clash in Valencia City on September 10, including minors Anjie and RK, all tested positive with alias ‘Kib’ contracting the Delta variant.
“Many in the NPA ranks possibly have COVID-19 as evidenced by the positive test results of the captured and dead terrorists,” Brawner said.
With the development, Brawner appealed to the CPP-NPA leadership to allow their members to surrender and get treatment.
He also called on CPP spokesman, George ‘Ka Oris’ Madlos, to personally make an example by leading the surrender. Madlos is believed to be the CPP top honcho in charge of the NCMRPC.
“I am personally appealing to Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris and his group to return to the peaceful path now and go down from the mountains so that they can be given vaccines and proper medical attention,” Brawner said.
Brawner’s offer of help to COVID-19 afflicted terrorists is seconded by ‘Vaccine Czar’ and presidential adviser on the peace process (OPAP), Secretary Carlito Galvez.
A former Armed Forces chief, Galvez also saw action in the Caraga region during his early years in the military.
