The Civil Society Coalition on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC Coalition)
supports its members, partners, and human rights organizations and stakeholders in
condemning the recent incidents involving the military, which led to deaths among
indigenous groups in Mindanao, Philippines.
Last June 15, 2021, 12-year-old Angel Rivas, together with her sister and cousin, were
killed while harvesting root crops in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
Statements of their family were alarming as they claim that those who opened fire on
them were from the military. Their group had to run to safety but unfortunately, Angel
and the two other family members did not make it. Additionally, the family claims that
they allegedly found the bodies of the victims raped and tortured.
Additional reports from Save Our Schools Network claimed that another Lumad child
had purportedly been taken by soldiers. The incident happened on June 14, 2021 – just a
day prior to the Lianga killings. A family from Sitio Marang, Barangay Mabuhay,
Prosperidad, Agusan Del Sur were also harvesting their land when soldiers opened fire
on them. The group also had to flee and accidentally left behind a 15-year-old girl
unconscious who was then allegedly taken by the perpetrators.
The CRC Coalition calls all stakeholders, especially the military, to protect our children
especially in situations of armed conflict. The Philippines, is a state party to the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and by ratifying the Optional Protocol on
the involvement of children in armed conflict in 2003, it has reaffirmed its commitment
that the rights of children require special protection in conflict areas and condemned
the targeting of children. We remind the government that the passage of the CSAC Law
(Republic Act 11188 or Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict), as
part of its commitment to UNCRC and its Optional Protocol, declares children as zones
of peace. Therefore, any attack on children, including indigenous children like Angel, is a
violation of children’s rights to live and to be protected from all forms of abuse and
violence.
We call on the duty bearers to hold the perpetrators accountable, look deeper into the
policies and decisions that continue to enable these crimes, and propose measures to
prevent this from happening again.
Lastly, we commend the Commission on Human Rights and other institutions in
conducting a separate investigation to seek the truth about the incident. We demand
justice for Angel, as well as for all children and indigenous peoples who suffered and
died in the hands of those who swore to protect them.