NPA recruits ‘as young as 12’ in Northern Mindanao, Caraga – military

MANILA, Philippines — Communist rebels engage and recruit children as young as 12 years old in Northern Mindanao and Caraga region, the military said Friday.

Quoting records from the Army’s 4th Infantry Division’s Custodial Debriefing Reports between 2016 and 2019, the average age recruited by the New People’s Army (NPA) is 17 years old, 4ID public affairs chief Maj. Regie Go said in a statement.

But the most “alarming” for them was the supposed recruitment of minors as young as 12.

The average age of communist rebels killed in encounters is 21 years old.

Maj. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of 4ID, urged citizens to “protect the future generation.”

“We need to create a better future so that we will be able to preserve the precious lives of our children,” he said.

Gacal said the recruitment of minors by NPA is a clear violation of the international humanitarian law.

As of August 2019, the 4ID said a total of 34 regular NPA were killed while seven were arrested and 214 have surrendered. /kga