How are Filipino children’s rights affected by counterinsurgency? (Part 2)

Abduction and Interrogation of Belle

“Belle”, a 14-year old girl from Quezon province, was forcibly taken by soldiers from the 59th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in July 2020. Her mother was a coconut farmer who was an active member of Coco Levy Fund Ibalik sa Amin (CLAIM), an organization working to unite farmers and lobby against unfair pricing practices. The soldiers who kidnapped Belle interrogated her about her knowledge on communist groups, and pressured her into falsely claiming that her mother was a member of the New People’s Army (NPA). She was illegally detained for over two weeks, during which time she was subjected to torture, humiliation, and rape.

After her detention, Belle was transferred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), where an official instructed her to write a statement against her mother. When she refused, Leoven Julita, her rapist, made up a false statement claiming that Belle’s mother was restricting her freedom and coercing her to join the NPA. Julita then intimidated her into signing the fabricated statement, threatening that the military would harm her family if she didn’t comply. Rather than offering support, the DSWD advised Belle to remain silent and simply comply with the soldiers’ demands.

Abduction of Baby Marx

Baby Marx was born on November 17, 2020 in Bacolod City. Now two (4) years old, Baby Marx is held hostage by the Philippine government following his abduction on January 13, 2021.

Soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army raided the home of Edwin and Marlyn Madin at 2:00 AM and forcibly took the then two-month old infant in order to force his parents, alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), to surrender. Baby Marx has since been in the custody of the Escalante City Department of Social Welfare and Development, believed to be under the orders of the military.

Members of ICHRP’s Interfaith Fellowship and Learning Tour interviewed his grandparents, Renato and Linda Salino, in 2022. Baby Marx’s grandparents have themselves been the subject of various forms of harassment, threat and intimidation, and forced into hiding. Despite this, the couple have been engaged in a long custody battle and are determined to get custody of their grandchild.

Killing of Kian delos Santos

An anti-drug operation on the outskirts of Manila in 2017 turned into the murder of a 17-year old high school student. According to the police’s official report, Kian delos Santos was allegedly found in possession of shabu and a .45 caliber gun, which he supposedly used to shoot at the officers. However, CCTV footage and witness testimony contradicted the police’s version of the events. The footage showed Kian being dragged near his home, where he was slapped and punched until he cried and begged, “Please stop. I have a test tomorrow.” He was then dragged from one alley to another, past a basketball court, into a dead-end corner. There, he was told to run while holding a gun—and when he did, he was shot.

Kian’s murder sparked public outrage because of the controversial circumstances surrounding his death, particularly the lack of due process. His killing became a symbol of the brutality and human rights violations that characterized the government’s war on drugs, contributing to the growing criticism of Duterte’s authoritarian policies.

A Thousand Voices: Building Solidarity with the Filipino Children

Children should be considered sacred. They should be able to go to school unbothered, and spend time with their friends and families without anxiety. Filipino children deserve to live a childhood unencumbered by fear and violence.

In time for the Children’s Month commemorated in the Philippines, our webinar from November 24 tackled the current situation of the Filipino children, highlighting the impacts of human rights and international humanitarian law violations. It featured resource speakers from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center and Salinlahi.

This webinar also served as the launch of a year-long solidarity campaign by the Foundation for Filipino Children, a member organization of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.

Watch the webinar recording at YouTube.com/@ICHRPGlobal

Latest Posts

Latest Posts