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NEWS STORY
Philippine Star September 20, 2007 By Katherine Adraneda, Philippine Star A group advocating children’s rights yesterday lamented that despite the supposedly flourishing democracy in the country, Filipino children remain victims of state repression under an “undeclared martial rule.” The Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concern said that in the last six years since President Arroyo assumed office, hundreds of civilians have been reported dead, missing, or were incarcerated while thousands have been displaced, wounded or tortured, which compromised the safety and rights of children. Salinlahi said children have become victims of human rights violations as well. Alphonse Rivera, officer-in-charge of Salinlahi, said human rights violations continue under the Arroyo administration, three decades after martial law was lifted. Citing data from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC) and local human rights group Karapatan, Rivera said seven percent or 60 children were among the 888 victims of alleged extrajudicial killings under Mrs. Arroyo. “For 35 years, children suffered as their parents suffered. Now they are even made targets themselves,” he said. He said that this year alone, five children were killed and were branded as child combatants, but a close investigation showed that they turned out to be ordinary school children who happened to be in areas where military operations were conducted. The CRC said children are not spared from torture as shown through recent cases of children in Sulu who were allegedly tortured under military custody. Military interrogators allegedly forced the children to admit that their parents are members of the Abu Sayyaf. The CRC said several children were also coerced to act as guides during military operations while others were used as baits to flush out their parents who are suspected communist rebels. In a forum aimed to commemorate the 35th anniversary of martial law on Friday, children-victims of human rights violations shared their experiences of political repression under the Marcos dictatorship from 1972 to 1983. Lawyer Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, whose father Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. was imprisoned four times during martial law, said the arrest of his father left a “psychological scar” in the family. He claimed, however, that with the political repression allegedly prevailing in the country today, children not only suffer such trauma, but actually become victims like their parents as well. Pimentel said the country appears to be moving towards a “rightist-fascist” government, as indicated by the determination of the Supreme Court (SC) to consider the use of “Writ of Amparo” amidst continued denials of the military on its alleged role in the spate of extrajudicial killings. Party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela blamed the President for her insensitivity to the plight of women and children who are victims of human rights violations. URL: story url
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