BUTUAN CITY – The Army's 402nd Infantry Brigade has condoled with the family of the 16-year-old New People's Army (NPA) rebel who was killed in a clash late last week in an upland village here.
In a statement on Tuesday, Brig. Gen. Maurito L, Licudine, 402Bde commander, said the slain rebel was a resident of Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
Government troops recovered the minor's body after the 10-minute gunfight between the NPA and the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion in the upland village of Manila de Bugabos.
Licudine said the rebel’s death is proof of the NPA's continuing use of child warriors, in violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
"It must be stopped. No form of explanation will justify the treacherous act in violating the children's rights guaranteed under the laws of warfare and several IHL provisions and protocols," he said.
Licudine called on parents in Caraga Region to protect the future of their children and join the government's effort to put an end to NPA's recruitment of minors.
Following the gunfight, 402Bde said government troops recovered at the encounter site two AK-47 rifles and two M-16 rifles.
Licudine said the NPA combatants, numbering around 20, are believed to be part of the rebels' Front 4A led by a certain alias “Weds" or "Patrick”.
“This is clearly a violation of IHL and an apparent disregard of the innocence of the children. We condemn in strongest terms the NPA's devilish act in pushing our children towards harm,” the Army official added. (PNA)
