CHILDREN’S MONTH. An information campaign material depicts the support of the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade to the celebration of National Children’s Month 2019. The unit has called on parents to help the government in protecting the youth from being recruited by the communist New People’s Army. (Graphics courtesy of 402Bde)
BUTUAN CITY -- The Philippine Army in Caraga Region supports the celebration of National Children’s Month even as it denounced the communist rebel movement's continued use of child soldiers.
In a statement on Sunday, Maj. Francisco P. Garello, Jr., the civil-military operations officer of the Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade, said they share the government's efforts to protect the rights of the children.
In a memorandum circular issued in September, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) set the celebration of National Children’s Month this month, pursuant to Republic Act 10661 or the “National Children’s Month Act.”
The DILG circular noted that this year’s celebration also marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) and the 27th Celebration of the National Children’s Month which commemorates the adoption of the UN CRC on November 20, 1989.
Garello said the Army will aim to mark this year's celebration by intensifying its campaign to protect the children from the recruitment of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
The Army in Caraga Region recently denounced the NPA for using child warriors.
In the same statement, Col. Maurito L. Licudine, 402Bde commander, warned parents of the rebels' continuing recruitment of young people in the region.
“The CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) - NPA Terrorists recruit children as young as 12 years old and deliberately disregard the provisions of International Humanitarian Law that guarantees the protection of children in an armed conflict, when they recruited them as child warriors,” Licudine said.
Licudine said rebels must “spare the children from their scheme of sowing hatred by agitating them to fight against the government.”
He pointed out that the NPA recruitment of minors was revealed by formers rebels themselves.
“The minors are enticed to join the armed struggle by making them believe that the government has done nothing about their plight,” Licudine said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
