NPA recruits hundreds of minors for combat — AFP

Communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the Philippines have employed at least 340 "child warriors" since 1999, most of them aged 15 to 18, the military said on Sunday. Of the number, 209 surrendered to the government, 119 were captured, while 12 were killed in combat, according to figures from the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Civil Relations Service (AFP-CRS). The NPA rebels have been named as constant violators of child rights by the United Nations. A military official said NPA child warriors are often tasked to assassinate families of rebel returnees. "The effects of this practice by the NPA to the children are unthinkable. These children were made to believe that violence is the only solution and the means of achieving one’s end," said CRS chief Brig. Gen. Francisco Cruz. Other recruited minors, however, are given mundane tasks, like serving as messengers, cooks, and guards. But there are some who become spies, according to Cruz. He said the children are predominantly recruited from universities and colleges that are infiltrated by NPA cadres. He said elementary and high school students, especially in the rural areas, are also prone to the NPA recruitment. "Children are easy prey for the New People’s Army. These child exploiters work on the children’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses. These children are constantly exposed to harsh elements; are susceptible to sexual exploitation; suffers psychologically, emotionally, and morally; and their lives always in danger. It is imperative that we save these children from the clutches of the NPA," said Cruz. Arrested child warriors are turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). - KBK, GMANews.TV