Children's rights group wants independent probe on killing of farmers, 12-year-old student in Surigao del Sur

An independent investigation into the killing of three people from the Lumad-Manobo tribe, including a 12-year-old student, in Lianga, Surigao del Sur should be organized, according to the Child Rights Network said on Thursday.

"We call for an immediate independent probe into the incident. We note that the place in Lianga has long been part of the critical areas in Surigao del Sur where armed conflict has been frequently reported. However, there can be no logical reason to justify the reported killing of unarmed civilians, much less a minor," the organization said in a statement.

The group was referring to media reports on the killing of 12-year-old Angel Rivaz, whose body was found wrapped in plastic and tape and a portion of her face had stitches. Her relatives also believed that she was raped.

To comply with the Republic Act 11188 or the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act, the Child Rights Network asked the Inter-Agency Committee on Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC) to immediately convene and conduct an investigation into the killing and ensure justice for the victims.

In addition, the group underscored the provisions under RA 11188, which seeks to protect children in armed conflict from human rights abuses by declaring children zones of peace and mandate the government to prosecute persons violating the measure.

"RA 11188 also ensures that CSAC have the right to be protected from maiming, torture, abduction, rape and killing, especially extrajudicial killing. The law also tasked the government to take all necessary measures to rescue and rehabilitate children in situations of armed conflict. The fatal killing in Lianga may well serve as a litmus test for this new law," the rights group pointed out.

They added that the Philippine military must also act on the incident and hold accountable those involved in the shooting incident.

"We expect swift and decisive action from authorities to ensure that not one more child or unarmed civilian is killed in situations of armed conflict," it said.

Another rights group, Karapatan Caraga, claimed that the 3rd Special Forces Battalion shot the victims in the afternoon of June 15 while the victims were farming abaca.

The 4th Infantry Division has issued a statement denying Karapatan's claim, saying that it was an encounter and that the victims were members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.

Meanwhile, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), who were previously accused of red-tagging, said the group was discovered due to a minor that was caught in a separate operation in Agusan.

The group has also been using children for a long time, the government's anti-insurgency task force said.  -- BAP, GMA News