The long list of atrocious crimes perpetrated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Negros Island since its illegitimate commander-in-chief Marcos Jr came to power continues to grow. Among these are vile crimes committed by reactionary state forces against children in the past two years. National Democratic Front (NDF)-Negros has recorded not less than 90 cases of human rights violations on the island under the reign of Marcos Jr that directly involved more than 1,300 minors.

The most recent case was the arrest of two minors, paraded by the 79th IB as “child warriors” in Sitio Humayan, Barangay Pinowayan, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental last April 25. This old and overused tactic of parading “child warriors” in public has been repeatedly debunked by the New People’s Army (NPA) who, unlike the AFP, has a sterling and principled commitment to uphold and defend the interests of children in line with the Communist Party of the Philippine’s (CPP) Program for a People’s Democratic Revolution, the Basic Rules of the NPA, the Guide for Establishing the People’s Democratic Government, the Geneva Conventions and Protocols on International Humanitarian Law and Rules on Warfare, the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and the Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

Cases of AFP atrocities against children under the current Marcos regime also include the 94th IB’s massacre of the Fausto family in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental last June 2023, wherein two minors (12 and 13 year old) were cruelly murdered with their parents, and the brutal killing of Everly Kee Jacolbe (16 years old), together with her pregnant mother and their relative, by 62nd IB soldiers in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on July 2022. Everly Kee was wounded when she pleaded to be taken to the hospital, but she was finished off by said troops.

These victims were killed with their family members who were repeatedly red-tagged and harassed by the AFP, Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac over the years to maintain a culture of fear among the masses.

Baby Marx or Marx Cairo Salino, three year old son of Red fighters, remains a hostage of the reactionary government and the military after they took him away from his guardians in Talisay City, Negros Occidental in 2021. Baby Marx’s mother, Emarie “Ka Jandy” Pastidio, and father, Ka Peeta, resisted the deceitful scheme of the reactionary government that ruthlessly used their son to force them to surrender. Ka Jandy did not have the chance to see her son until her martyrdom in an encounter in Escalante City, Negros Occidental last February 21.

The AFP’s diabolical tactic of exploiting children to pressure Red fighter parents to surrender and fall prey to the corrupt Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and amnesty program of the Marcos II regime is rampant throughout Negros Island.

Unashamed of their consistent and blatant disregard of international law, the AFP is spreading intrigue and disinformation to discredit the revolutionary movement. In truth however, US imperialism’s saber-rattling against China on Philippine shores using Filipino soldiers and its imposition on the AFP to defeat the revolutionary movement by 2024 have pushed reactionary state forces to terrorize even Filipino children.

In communities where the AFP is conducting the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSPs), presence of soldiers have only promoted sex, violence, gambling and other rotten influences to the children and youth. Thus, the AFP’s accusations against the NPA are better pointed at themselves for being the real terrorists to children and the entire people of Negros Island.

NDF-Negros reaffirms the NDFP’s Declaration and Program of Action for the Rights, Protection and Welfare of Children. With the entire revolutionary movement in Negros, we hold Ferdinand Marcos Jr accountable for all violations of children’s rights committed by the AFP/PNP/NTF-Elcac all over the island as these fascist institutions are under his command. All commanders from battalion, brigade and division level on Negros Island must also answer to their crimes as notorious violators of children’s rights.

NDF-Negros calls on all children’s rights and human rights advocates, in the Philippines and the international community, to conduct independent investigations into these cases, expose the truth and seek justice for all children victimized by reactionary state forces. ###