The Special Office for the Protection of Children (SOPC) of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) condemned the killing of 16-year-old student Eusibio Cranzo, also known as Kuni Cuba, by the 7th IB on June 9 in Sityo Kiluding, Barangay Kiadsam, Sen. Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat. The killing took place more than a week after the commemoration of the International Day for the Protection of Children on June 1.

According to the report, Cranzo was on his way home with his sibling and two friends when the incident occurred. They run into the operating unit of the 7th IB, who then opened fire on them. Cranzo was immediately hit, while his three companions ran to the adjacent cornfield. The soldiers claimed that a Garand rifle was confiscated from the victim and accused him of being a member of the New People’s Army.

Cranzo’s family and neighbors also refuted the military’s claim that he was a member of the people’s army. “The AFP’s excuse that the boy was a member of the NPA is nothing more than a cynical and reprehensible attempt to justify their barbarity,” said Ka Coni Ledesma, head of SOPC-NDFP.

She stated that this was not the first time the AFP had used tired and hollow rhetoric to cover up their human rights abuses. “it is clear that under the Marcos Jr regime, children’s rights violations and the disregard of international humanitarian law are systematically perpetuated,” added Ka Coni.

Ka Coni said Cranzo’s killing is a stark reminder of the systemic violence and impunity that is the hallmark of the Marcos Jr administration. “While the rest of the world celebrates the protection and upliftment of children this June, the Philippine puppet state under Marcos Jr has chosen to continue its campaign of terror against its own people, targeting even the most vulnerable and defenseless,” said Ka Coni.

SOPC-NDFP calls on the international community to condemn this heinous crime and take action to seek justice for Cranzo and many other child victims of the Philippine puppet state. Marcos Jr and his military troops should be held accountable for their war crimes, it said.

It may be recalled that on May 18, Marcos Jr was among those found guilty by the International Peoples’ Tribunal (IPT)of committing human rights violations against the Filipino people, along with the Duterte regime, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), and the US represented by Joseph Biden, in violation of international humanitarian law.

The IPT is an international court composed of legal experts investigating violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in various countries. It was established in 1979 and has already held 46 sessions, including six on the Philippine situation.

SOURCE:

AFP kills another minor on the heels of International Day for the Protection of Children

June 23, 2024
Statements

Coni Ledesma, Head of the NDFP Special Office for the Protection of Children (SOPC)

Kuni’s family belied the AFP’s claim and asserted that Kuni was just an ordinary student whose dream to finish his studies was extinguished by the fascist military.

The AFP not only violated all known customary international laws by killing a 16-year-old and falsely claiming him as a so-called ‘child soldier,’ but also violated the Geneva Convention for desecrating Kuni’s corpse.

The AFP’s excuse that the boy was a member of the NPA is nothing more than a cynical and reprehensible attempt to justify their barbarity. This is not the first time the AFP has resorted to such tired, hollow rhetoric to mask their human rights abuses, and it is clear that under the Marcos Jr. regime, children’s rights violations and the disregard of international humanitarian law are systematically perpetuated.

This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the systemic violence and impunity that is the hallmark of the Marcos Jr. administration. While the rest of the world celebrates the protection and upliftment of children this June, the Philippine puppet state under Marcos Jr. has chosen to continue its campaign of terror against its own people, targeting even the most vulnerable and defenseless.

We call upon the international community to condemn this atrocious act and demand justice for Kuni and his family. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his AFP troops must be held accountable for their continuing war crimes. The blood of the innocent stains their hands, and no amount of propaganda can cover up their mounting atrocities.