From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 7): Army official condemns use of ‘child
warriors’ by NPA in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat
An Army official has condemned the continuing recruitment and use of minors for
operational purposes by New People’s Army (NPA) units in South Cotabato and
Sultan Kudarat provinces.
Lt. Col. Alexis Noel Bravo, commander of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion,
said on Sunday they have proven anew the alleged “illegal act” by the NPA with
the recent surrender of a 16-year-old cadre in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and the
killing of another 17-year-old rebel in an encounter in Columbio town in Sultan
Kudarat.
He said they have confirmed that one of the two fatalities in an encounter
between their troops and NPA rebels in Sitio Tiruray, Barangay Telafas in
Columbio town last Sept. 29 was “an NPA child warrior....”
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=460502
The "child warrior" theme is a long-standing AFP propaganda attack line directed against various insurgent groups (mainly the NPA and MILF). In this instance the child war propaganda line is intended to counter CPP/NPA assertions that those killed in the recent encounter in Columbio town were innocent civilians and not members of the NPA.
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