The Special Office for the Protection of Children of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines welcomes the Special Report of Ang Bayan on the Rights of Children and Especially the Protection of Children under International Human Rights Laws. (makataong batas internasyunal))
Children have been victims of the civil war between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the New People’s Army from the start of the civil war. This is the first time that a report focuses on children and the effects of the civil war on them. Ang Bayan, the official organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines focuses on the abuses children have experienced from 2020- 2022. The importance of this report is that it focuses on the increasing victimization of children today.
The report states different cases where children have been threatened, arrested, forced to surrender, sexually abused, killed and accused of being child soldiers. Children have also been forced to stop schooling and to leave their homes together with their parents because of militarization. There have also been cases of babies and young children who have been snatched from their homes, hostaged, and so called “rescued” to force their parents to surrender because they are suspected members of the New People’s Army”.
The numerous cases given in the report take place in different regions in the Philippines, showing the widespread violations on the rights of the child.
The Special Office for the Protection of Children demands that the government of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. stop the abuses of children and to abide by the international laws on the protection of children and the Comprehensive Agreement of Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
Coni Ledesma
Head
Special Office for the Protection of Children
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
November 24, 2022
