From the Manila Times (Feb 25, 2022): CHR 'confirms' rebels' recruitment of minors (By Cris Diaz)
Photo shows minor combatants who were allegedly recruited to join the outlawed New People’s Army at age 16. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The military on Thursday claimed that the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Northern Mindanao has confirmed allegations of recruitment of minors as combatants of the New People's Army (NPA).
The military quoted reports of Reynaldo Saligan, of "Sulong Peace," that cited two cases reported to the CHR-Region 10 about grave child rights violation (GCRV) allegedly committed by the NPA.
Lt. Vincent Mark Maddul, civil military officer of the Philippine Army's Claveria-based 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB), said the CHR reports were substantiated by minors who were recruited as NPA combatants.
He added that a 16-year-old girl identified only as Alias May told the military that she was then a high school student from Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, when recruited by the NPA to join the insurgency movement with a promise of a brighter future.
Maddul said two days after May surrendered, 12 rebels also surrendered on Nov. 8, 2020 telling the military that eight of them were still minors when they were recruited sometime in 2016.
Like May, the 12 surrenderers decided to return to the fold of the law after realizing the indecision, hunger and hardship that they suffered while with the rebel movement, he added.
Lt. Col. Ricky Canatoy, 58IB commanding officer, said "the nine surrenderers were considered children involved in armed conflict because they were recruited when they were still below 18 years old and, therefore, minors."
Canatoy added that the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict have been incorporated into domestic laws and is considered as grave child rights violations.
Under the GCRV, the recruitment refers to the compulsory, forced, or voluntary enlistment and conscription of children into the armed group, he said.
He added that as an active member of the Technical Working Group of the United Nations Country Task Force for Monitoring and Reporting of grave child rights violations, the CHR-Region 10 has reported the two cases of GCRV to the Child Rights Center of the rights body.
The military on Thursday claimed that the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Northern Mindanao has confirmed allegations of recruitment of minors as combatants of the New People's Army (NPA).
The military quoted reports of Reynaldo Saligan, of "Sulong Peace," that cited two cases reported to the CHR-Region 10 about grave child rights violation (GCRV) allegedly committed by the NPA.
Lt. Vincent Mark Maddul, civil military officer of the Philippine Army's Claveria-based 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB), said the CHR reports were substantiated by minors who were recruited as NPA combatants.
He added that a 16-year-old girl identified only as Alias May told the military that she was then a high school student from Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, when recruited by the NPA to join the insurgency movement with a promise of a brighter future.
Maddul said two days after May surrendered, 12 rebels also surrendered on Nov. 8, 2020 telling the military that eight of them were still minors when they were recruited sometime in 2016.
Like May, the 12 surrenderers decided to return to the fold of the law after realizing the indecision, hunger and hardship that they suffered while with the rebel movement, he added.
Lt. Col. Ricky Canatoy, 58IB commanding officer, said "the nine surrenderers were considered children involved in armed conflict because they were recruited when they were still below 18 years old and, therefore, minors."
Canatoy added that the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict have been incorporated into domestic laws and is considered as grave child rights violations.
Under the GCRV, the recruitment refers to the compulsory, forced, or voluntary enlistment and conscription of children into the armed group, he said.
He added that as an active member of the Technical Working Group of the United Nations Country Task Force for Monitoring and Reporting of grave child rights violations, the CHR-Region 10 has reported the two cases of GCRV to the Child Rights Center of the rights body.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/02/25/news/regions/chr-confirms-rebels-recruitment-of-minors/1834152
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