Group bares data on child rights violations under Duterte admin

Child rights advocate group on Saturday released its data on children's rights  violation committed by law-enforcement agencies under the Rodrigo Duterte administration.

The Children's Rehabilitation Center's report disclosed that the supposed violations of children's rights included "frustrated killings," false branding, and the use of children as informants in military operations.

CRC revealed that from July 2016 to December 2018, nine of children have been allegedly killed by the military in Mindanao, six of them, including a one-year old, were under the martial law.

Frances Bondoc, CRC officer in charge, said they recorded 16 cases of false branding of children by the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippine], where they were forced to surrender as members of the New People's Army (NPA).

Bondoc cited an incident where a child was among the farmers the soldiers killed in Patikul Sulu in 2018 on suspicion they were members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Likewise, the CRC said it recorded 21 cases of "frustrated killings," including abduction, torture, and burning of victims suspected of being NPA members.

"At marami pa pong biktima ng frustrated killing na makakatiyak tayo na hindi sila simpleng, 'yung sinasabi nila na collateral damage, kundi talagang pakay na manakot at pumaslang kung kaya sila nagiging biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao," Bondoc said at a forum in Quezon City.

Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns, Save Our Schools Network, SOS Mindanao, Rise Up and Children’s Rehabilitation Center slam human rights’ violations committed under martial law in Mindanao and the Duterte admin. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/XSJctORTf4

— Jamil Santos (@Jamil_Santos02) March 2, 2019

"Lahat po ay puro hinala, at wala pong napapatunayan, pero pinopropaganda ng AFP na sila ay mga armado kahit na wala namang ebidensya o 'yung ebidensya ay 'yung mismong militar ang nag-plant ng ebidensya para bansagan silang 'child soldiers,'" she added.

Moreover, the CRC said there are 123 cases of violation of domicile and 23 illegal search and seizure.

According to Bondoc, "Kung titingnan po natin, ganito po 'yung characteristics ng martial law. Hindi po ito kaiba sa kasalukuyan. 'Yung martial law po noong panahon ni Marcos ay ganitong ganito rin naman po 'yung nangyayari ngayon sa Mindanao."

The CRC officer in charge said the regions where the state of lawlessness were declared such as Negros, eastern Visayas and Bicol also had cases of violations of children's rights.

Also, the CRC has documented four cases of the use by the military of children as "guides" or "informants" in locating NPA camps.

"Ang gumagamit talaga ng bata sa mga highly-militarized areas ay mga militar, para sa end nila na mag-operate sa mga communities at saka doon sa mga operations nila. Pipilitin nila ang mga bata na ituro kung nasaan ang mga armadong grupo kahit na alam naman ng mga bata na hindi nila alam kung saan dadalhin o ituturo 'yung mga elemento ng NPA," Bondoc said.

"Pero dahil takot 'yung mga bata, wala silang choice kundi sumama," she added. —LBG, GMA News