The AFP’s counter-revolutionary war blatantly uses children as pawns for the surrender of revolutionary forces

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Coni Ledesma, Head of the Special Office for the Protection of Children, National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

The NDFP Special Office for the Protection of Children (NDFP-SOPC) vehemently condemns the Marcos Jr administration for its dirty war tactics of hostaging children and using them as pawns to force the surrender of revolutionary forces. Last June 2, fascist soldiers of the 74th IB arbitrarily arrested 11 farmers and 7 minors who were working in a coconut processing farm in Sityo Canonghan, Barangay Osmeña, Palapag, Northern Samar.

The hostaging of minors in the context of armed conflict is a blatant violation of international human rights and customary humanitarian laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippine reactionary state is a signatory. Current and previous regimes have consistently violated human rights and international humanitarian law. These violations are well-documented and have been submitted even to UN bodies and other intergovernmental bodies.

To elude responsibility for their crime and violation of international humanitarian law, the 74th IB falsely claimed having had an encounter with the New People’s Army (NPA)-Northern Samar that day. The military maliciously claimed that they “rescued” the minors who supposedly served as “food couriers” of the people’s army. This cynical justification is an obvious attempt to blur the distinction between combatants and non-combatants under international humanitarian law. The AFP’s narrative not only lacks credibility but also serves to further victimize the children it purports to “rescue.”

According to reports the minors are being held in the Municipal Social and Welfare Development but that the fascist soldiers have virtually detained them and have not released them to their relatives. While under detention by the 74th IB, the children experienced mental and physical torture. In another detestable violation of customary laws governing the rules of war, the children were turned into “hostages” or “bait” to pressure their parents to “surrender” despite being civilian farmers in the community. They are also being coerced into serving as guides or spies for military operations against the NPA and the people.

This cowardly tactic must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by the international community and all advocates of children’s rights, justice and human dignity. Marcos Jr and the fascist AFP must be held accountable for targeting children and minors. The NDFP-SOPC calls for an independent investigation on the atrocities being committed by the AFP in Northern Samar and other parts of the country. We call for the immediate release of the minors to their families. Likewise, we call on the international community to end all material and political support to the US-Marcos regime.

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