Developments in the Philippines

There was an increase in the recorded number of cases of child recruitment and use by armed groups in 2010 (24 children), compared to 2009 (6 children). Of the seven recorded incidents attributed to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country task force on monitoring and reporting was able to verify four incidents involving eight children carrying automatic weapons and performing military functions in MILF areas of Central Mindanao. Testimony from a 15-year-old child soldier in Maguindanao province confirmed that children, including girls, are being trained by MILF. The task force also continues to receive credible reports of children associated with the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendering to the police and Armed Forces of the Philippines. The presence of children among the ranks of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu and Basilan was also reported by former captives of ASG, although these allegations could not be verified owing to security constraints. The task force verified two cases of children recruited by an armed group called the Black Fighters in North Cotabato. After participating in a series of attacks, including extrajudicial killings, the boys surrendered to police and gave detailed accounts of the group’s activities. Several members of the Black Fighters are ex-NPA combatants. The group operates in North Cotabato Province, sometimes reinforcing Government security forces in their operations.

Reports indicate that at the local levels, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines continued to use children for military purposes. A common pattern observed involved children being used in counter-insurgency operations, and often in pursuit of NPA rebels in remote areas of the country. The counter-insurgency strategy, “Oplan Bantay Laya” (Operation Freedom Watch), permits and encourages soldiers to engage with civilians, including children, for military purposes, using them as informants, guides and porters. Three cases involving boys, aged 13, 15 and 16 years old, were verified in 2010. Similarly, the country task force on monitoring and reporting recorded numerous allegations of recruitment and use of children by paramilitary groups, particularly the Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit, who reportedly pressure and coerce children to join their ranks. The Units are locally recruited from their community and their military operations are confined to the municipality where they are formed. They are under the command structure of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but are loosely supervised.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines continued to detain children. Children in detention reported being physically abused, interrogated under extreme duress, subject to ill treatment and subjected to acts tantamount to torture to extract information on insurgents. Four incidents involving four girls and one boy were verified and involved the 11th, 34th, 25th, 54th infantry Battalions of the Philippine army (IBPA). Such incidents also led to the displacement of families for fear of being targeted as alleged members of NPA.

While there was a decline in the number of armed encounters between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and MILF in 2010, fighting with other non-State armed actors remained relatively unchanged. An increase in the number of casualties of children in 2010 was documented: 38 children, including 8 girls, were reportedly killed and 40, including 16 girls, reportedly maimed; in 2009, 12 children were killed and 40 injured. Of those, verified incidents implicated NPA, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and private militias of local politicians. The perpetrators were not identified in 13 incidents of killing and 10 incidents of maiming.

There has been an upward trend in the number of attacks on schools and hospitals and their personnel in 2010. This may be partially attributed to the use of schools as polling stations during the May and October elections. Forty-one incidents were recorded, compared to 10 in 2009. Of those, 14 were attributed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 4 to NPA, 1 to MILF, 2 to ASG, 6 to private militias of local politicians, and 14 to unidentified perpetrators. Schools have been targets of improvised explosive device attacks and burning. In addition, teachers are increasingly targeted; 11 teachers were reportedly killed during the reporting period.

There has also been a rising trend of the occupation of schools by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit in 2010, in contravention of national legislation prohibiting such practice. In remote communities across the country, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Unit have been using functioning public school buildings as barracks and command centres, including for storing weapons and ammunition. In some situations, the soldiers were observed approaching children, questioning them and allowing them to handle weapons.

Information on progress made by parties to conflict on dialogue and action plans to halt the recruitment and use of children, patterns of killing and maiming of children or rape and other forms of sexual violence against children in armed conflict

As part of the 1 August 2009 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) action plan to address child recruitment and use, in January 2010 MILF issued a supplemental general order restating the policy of non-recruitment of children within the MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces. The order also sets out punitive sanctions for non-compliance, and provides for the establishment of child protection units within the ranks of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.

Rapid registration of children associated with MILF in line with the action plan is in progress across core communities in 18 of the 21 MILF base commands, in partnership with mutually agreed upon non-governmental organizations. Preliminary unverified results of the rapid registration indicate that 432 children (366 boys and 66 girls) may be associated with MILF. The training of additional data-gatherers and rapid registration covering the three remaining MILF bases, as well as systematic expansion to peripheral Moro-MILF communities, commenced in early 2011. In order to meet all its commitments, in August, the United Nations and MILF agreed to extend the action plan agreement for an additional 12 months.

On 2 November 2010, the Government of Philippines issued an official endorsement reaffirming its support for United Nations engagement with the New People’s Army (NPA) on the development of an action plan. The Government recognizes that this initiative will contribute to the advocacy urging all parties to the conflict to respect the rights of children at all times, and likewise support the complementary tracks of the peace process currently pursued by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

The absence of political representation, as well as the security risks involved, currently prevents United Nations engagement with the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Finally, the United Nations has initiated discussions with the Government, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, on the development of a strategy for engaging with government forces to protect children in armed conflict. Consistent with recommendations in my report on children and armed conflict in the Philippines (S/2008/272), on November 2010, the Government appointed Army Colonel Domingo Tutaan, Jr., as the chief Human Rights Officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Parties in the Philippines

1. Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) *
2. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) *
3. New People’s Army (NPA) *