Mothers and Children for Protection of Human Rights (MCPHR) condemned a drunken element of the 59th IB for molesting and sexually exploiting a young girl in Sityo Sales, Barangay Pook, Balayan, Batangas on March 28. Apart from this, this soldier also arbitrarily mauled the girl’s 14-year-old boy companion.

Human rights groups reports say the children and teens were bathing in the river at the border of Calaca and Balayan towns when the drunken soldier arrived. The soldier randomly ordered them out of the river and then touched the girl’s thigh and punched the young man.

“This incident reflects the 59th IB’s continued violation of youth rights,” MCPHR said. The group asserts this is not the first time that this military unit has violated the rights of the people of Batangas, especially children and youth. These cases include the murder of 9-year-old Kyllene Casao and the sexual abuse of “Belle”.

The group demands that the soldier involved in abusing the teen-agers be held accountable. “Our collective unity and action is essential to protect our youth from violence and abuse,” MCPHR said.