(File photo)
MANILA – Various multi-sectoral groups on Saturday called for collective action in saving youths from exploitation and recruitment into child warriors by lawless elements.
"It is not just an effort of government and state to prevent such wrongdoing, but also us, as individuals and collective groups through various peoples' organizations have a moral ascendancy on the matter," Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), Youth Power against Destabilization and Terrorism (YPADT), and Movement of Women for Change and Reform (MELCHORA) said in a joint statement in line with the commemoration of the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers on Friday.
The groups also railed against the persistent recruitment of minors as young combatants by terrorist groups such as the ISIS-linked Maute group, Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of Philippines (CPP).
"As we commemorate the International Day on the use of Use of Child Soldiers, we feel uneasiness and guilt on how nations allow such actions at the same time how some barbaric and terror groups exploits their innocence and idealism in pursuit of their violent and selfish motives," the groups said.
They said they will continue to speak up against terrorists' atrocities, killings of innocent civilians, and illegal recruitment of the terrorist groups among the youth sector.
"If we remain silent and dumb it will continue to proliferate and take its toll on our children. The Philippines is not spared of such," they said. "The recruitment of minors as combatants has no place in any civilized or a democratic state."
The groups said they will be relentless in fighting the senseless cause and wrong ideologies of the terrorist groups, particularly the CPP-NPA and its allied National Democratic Front (NDF).
"On our part, we will continuously inform the public, especially our fellow parents on the schemes of using legal fronts to recruit and exploit our children in a gargantuan proportion," they said.
The recruitment schemes of the communist group's legal-front organizations among the youth sector must be ended, they added.
"Legal fronts that exploit the idealism of our youth and its aspirations without knowing that they are prey to the devilish intentions of these terror groups," they said.
The groups urged the public to support them in their fight against terrorism in the country.
"Let us help expose them and their grand schemes of infiltration in our schools, communities, religious groups, civic-oriented organizations, and even government institutions," they said. (PNA)
