Coni Ledesma, Head of the NDFP SOPC
November 20, 2024
The Special Office for the Protection of Children of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP SOPC) strongly condemns the killing of another youth, Jerick Jugal, by forces of the fascist 20th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Barangay Catubig, Northern Samar.
The 20th IB’s fabricated story claiming that Jerick was killed in a series of armed encounters with the New People’s Army (NPA) on November 5 is nothing but a desperate attempt to cover up their heinous crime. Jerick Jugal was not an NPA member, as maliciously alleged by the same state forces who killed him. He was a responsible son and the primary breadwinner of his family.
Catubig residents have categorically refuted the military’s baseless claims. They attest to Jerick’s innocence and describe him as a loving son and had no involvement in the armed struggle. The killing of Jerick has sent shockwaves through the community, with residents of Catubig calling for an independent and impartial investigation to bring justice to Jerick and his grieving family.
Despite repeated claims that victims are “child combatants” or affiliated with the NPA, independent investigations and community testimonies often reveal these children and youth victims as innocent civilians deliberately targeted by the AFP. The AFP’s continued impunity for such violations not only undermines international humanitarian law but also perpetuates a culture of violence that endangers the lives of Filipino youth and children. This pattern of targeting youth and children in the name of “counterinsurgency” operations aligns with the same strategy deployed by the US in Palestine and demands urgent international attention and scrutiny to protect the most vulnerable from state-sponsored violence.
The targeting of children by fascist forces in both Palestine and the Philippines illustrates the deeply entrenched patterns of state violence that serve imperialist interests, particularly those of US imperialism. In both contexts, the oppression of children — whether through targeted killings, indiscriminate attacks, or psychological warfare — reveals a shared strategy by imperialist powers to crush the spirit of resistance and suppress national liberation movements. The Philippine military, heavily influenced and militarized through joint exercises with US forces, has become a tool of violence against the Filipino people, systematically attacking civilians, including children, under the guise of “counterinsurgency.” The tragic deaths of children in these wars are not incidental; they are the results of an imperialist design to keep oppressed nations from rising up against the exploitation and domination imposed upon them.
The NDFP enjoins the international community to hold the US-Marcos regime for their war crimes. We stand in solidarity with Jerick’s family and the residents of Catubig in their pursuit of justice. The NDFP reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rights of children and civilians, and we will continue to expose and resist the fascist attacks of state forces against the Filipino people.
