Paggamit ng batang kasapi ng NPA, kinondena ng Army

September 11, 2017 Provincial

SANTA CRUZ, ILOCOS SUR – Kinondena ng 81st Infantry (Spartan) Battalion ng Philippine Army na nakabase sa lugar na ito ang patuloy na pangangalap ng mga batang kasapi na isinasali sa pakikipagdigma ng New People’s Army (NPA) laban sa gobyerno.
Sa kamakailang statement ng Army, ang mga batang mandirigma ay ginagamit ng grupo ng NPA na Platun South Ilocos Sur (SIS).
Sa mga sumukong rebelde na nahuli sa engkwentro ng Army at NPA sa mga bayan ng Salcedo at Sigay ay nadiskubreng karamihan sa miyembro ng Platun SIS ay nasa edad na 21 pababa. Mayroon pang mga 16 hanggang 17 anyos.
Diumano, ang mga batang rebelde ang mga bagong recruit ng naturang grupo sa pamamagitan ng “ideological political organizational” na gawain at ginagamit na mga miyembro ng armed group na may operasyon sa Triple S (Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia at Salcedo) Complex ng timog na Ilocos Sur.
“These circumstances are indicative that the NPA violates the laws that safeguard the rights of children, particularly Republic Act 7610 which punishes ‘any person who commit any other acts of child abuse, cruelty or exploitation or to be responsible for other conditions prejudicial to the child’s development’,” ani Major General Angelito De Leon, commander ng 7th Infantry Division.
“It is also a violation to the signed agreement, Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), that these rebels are recruiting child warriors or minors to join them in their armed struggle and allowing them to take part in fighting,” saad ni De Leon.
Dagdag pa niya, “We will further strengthen our intelligence and civil military operations so that these activities will stop.”
Samantala, sinabi ni Col. Henry Robinson Jr. (MNSA) PA, 702nd brigade commander, na ang isiniwalat ng mga dating rebelde ay kailangan sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t ibang sektor na humahawak sa kabataan, lalo na ang mga institusyon sa edukasyon.
Ayon kay Lt. Col. Eugenio Julio Osias IV INF (GSC) PA, battalion commander ng 81IB, “With the current revelation, your Army will further enhance the engagements with the youth sector through different activities that will be conducted by the Civil Military Operation operators.”
“Moreover, we are tracking down the identities of these minors so that their respective families will be made aware and vigilant for them to help the government in persuading their kin to leave the armed struggle,” aniya. AMB, PIA-ILOCOS SUR / ABN