Half or perhaps even majority of New People’s Army (NPA) cadres in Panay Island are below the legal age of 18, according to the Philippine Army. These underage fighters were lured into joining the NPA by false promises, said Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB).
There are an estimated 100 fighters in NPA-Panay’s southern and central fronts, said Batara.
“Broken promises led some of them to surrender,” he revealed.
In July, a rebel who surrendered, Ka Aguila from Calinog, Iloilo, told the Army he was 15 years old when he was recruited to the NPA. His role was agaw armas (seizing firearms) from policemen.
He decided to surrender due to constant hunger and the failed promise of their leaders of a monthly salary of P5,000.
According to Batara, the NPA recruits youngsters mostly in schools and far-flung barangays.
He urged students not to be fooled.
Batara also urged parents to be vigilant and protective of their children.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Western Visayas said the recruitment of individuals below 18 years old for armed struggle violates international and domestic laws.
Although the CHR Region 6 has not received any formal report on the recruitment of minors in the armed conflict, Christopher Montaño, information officer of CHR-6, said: “In the Geneva Convention and our domestic laws, recruiting minors in the armed conflict is a violation because children should never be involved in armed conflict situations.”
The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) states that youngsters 15 years old and up can join the armed movement but Republic Act (RA) 7610 provides “stronger deterrence and special protection against child abuse, exploitation, and discrimination” and disallows persons below 18 to join the armed movement.
Montaño stressed that children, as “zones of peace”, should be protected and should not be, at any cost, exposed to the culture of violence.
RA 7610 stipulates that “children shall not be an object of attack and shall be entitled to special respect. They shall be protected from any form of threat, assault, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
“That is why the recruitment of youth to be used as spies, couriers and guides of both the Armed Forces of the Philippine and the CPP-NPA is prohibited by law,” said Montaño.
In July, the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army discovered that NPA-Panay’s Eastern Front recruited children aged 10 to 14.
“Mostly they recruit minors aged 10 to 14. This is alarming because these minors are supposed to be attending school. The rebels are ruining their future,” said Lieutenant Hazel Durotan, Civil-Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion.
https://www.panaynews.net/young-dangerous-army-half-of-npa-panay-rebels-underage/
There are an estimated 100 fighters in NPA-Panay’s southern and central fronts, said Batara.
“Broken promises led some of them to surrender,” he revealed.
In July, a rebel who surrendered, Ka Aguila from Calinog, Iloilo, told the Army he was 15 years old when he was recruited to the NPA. His role was agaw armas (seizing firearms) from policemen.
He decided to surrender due to constant hunger and the failed promise of their leaders of a monthly salary of P5,000.
According to Batara, the NPA recruits youngsters mostly in schools and far-flung barangays.
He urged students not to be fooled.
Batara also urged parents to be vigilant and protective of their children.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Western Visayas said the recruitment of individuals below 18 years old for armed struggle violates international and domestic laws.
Although the CHR Region 6 has not received any formal report on the recruitment of minors in the armed conflict, Christopher Montaño, information officer of CHR-6, said: “In the Geneva Convention and our domestic laws, recruiting minors in the armed conflict is a violation because children should never be involved in armed conflict situations.”
The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) states that youngsters 15 years old and up can join the armed movement but Republic Act (RA) 7610 provides “stronger deterrence and special protection against child abuse, exploitation, and discrimination” and disallows persons below 18 to join the armed movement.
Montaño stressed that children, as “zones of peace”, should be protected and should not be, at any cost, exposed to the culture of violence.
RA 7610 stipulates that “children shall not be an object of attack and shall be entitled to special respect. They shall be protected from any form of threat, assault, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
“That is why the recruitment of youth to be used as spies, couriers and guides of both the Armed Forces of the Philippine and the CPP-NPA is prohibited by law,” said Montaño.
In July, the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army discovered that NPA-Panay’s Eastern Front recruited children aged 10 to 14.
“Mostly they recruit minors aged 10 to 14. This is alarming because these minors are supposed to be attending school. The rebels are ruining their future,” said Lieutenant Hazel Durotan, Civil-Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion.
https://www.panaynews.net/young-dangerous-army-half-of-npa-panay-rebels-underage/
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