• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The National Youth Commission (NYC) has expressed grave concern on the involvement of at least 10 minors in the armed encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19.
In a statement, the NYC said it fully supports the recommendations of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as well as the proposed congressional inquiry aimed at establishing accountability and preventing future recruitment of youth into armed movements.
The NYC strongly condemned the exploitation of minors and young adults by armed groups, emphasizing that young people should never be drawn into illegal armed conflicts that put their lives at risk.
Two minors were among the 19 suspected New People’s Army rebels who died during the military operations in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso.
NTF-ELCAC executive director Ernesto Torres said the presence of minors in a combat environment highlights the grave risks faced by young individuals who become involved in armed conflict.
Torres said this situation calls for heightened awareness and vigilance among families, communities, school administrations and organizations – both in the Philippines and abroad – to ensure that individuals, particularly the youth, are not placed in circumstances that endanger their lives.
“The recruitment and use of minors in armed conflict constitute serious violations of International Humanitarian Law,” he added.
In these instances, Torres also noted violations of Republic Act 11188 or the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act, Republic Act 7610, and the Philippines’ obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.
Moreover, the NYC announced that it is intensifying its local convergence programs to strengthen community-based safeguards and monitoring systems designed to protect vulnerable youth from radicalization.
“The role of youth is to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to society – not to be placed in situations where their lives are at risk,” the commission said.
The NYC extended its deepest sympathies to the families and communities mourning the loss of the young individuals involved in the encounter.
It also warned against public discussions that reduce the incident to polarized political debates or glorify youth involvement in armed violence, describing the recruitment and exploitation of young people by insurgent groups as a serious violation of their rights and a threat to human security. | GPB
