Parents are warned to protect their children and be wary of the presence of rebel groups especially on the mountainous areas of Iloilo.

"Rebel groups usually lure students and out of school youth including minors as target for recruitment," according to Major Enrico Ileto, chief of public affairs office of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.

Recently, there were reports that alleged members of the rebel group Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) are roving in the upland villages of Cabatuan.

According to police and military sources, the RPA-ABB is mainly concentrated in Janiuay, Cabatuan, Leon and Tigbauan towns in Iloilo and in the northern towns of Negros.

A village head from Cabatuan claimed that some rebels are integrating with the community in order to recruit members.

However, Ileto denied the reports and no such incident was reported on them adding that members of the Peace and Development Teams of the army are spread on the place.

He also noted that the revelation of Erlan Tarino, a former New People's Area member, who was featured in a local television show last Sunday should serve as an eye opener to the public.

Quoting Tarino, Ileto said that the armed struggle has brought him perils, no good future and that parents should always safeguard their children from influence of rebels.

CHILDREN IN BETWEEN

Meanwhile, with the encounter between the rebel groups and the army, those most affected are children.

"Usually, the cases of children's rights violations reported are those which involved direct children casualty. But, the issue of children's rights is not just limited to that. It encompasses the issue of emotional and psychological impact of armed conflict and militarization on children," Sheila Mae Pagurayan of Children's Rehabilitation Center-Panay (CRC-Panay) explained.

She also said that many children suffer from emotional disorders due to traumatic experience.

"In some cases children victims do not know who to trust anymore and learn no generalize the fear and that all people are potential source of violence and/or pain," she added.

TESTIMONIES

"It was around 9 a.m. of Dec. 11, 2009, a day after the encounter between the New People's Army (NPA) and the 82nd IBPA when a group of army soldiers went to our house asking if the NPA hid their firearms in our house. One of the soldiers hung a strip of bullets as if it was necklace to force me to speak," 14-year-old Mariel narrated.

Mariel added that her older brother Joseph, 14 years old at the time of the incident, was grabbed by a soldier and was punched on his chest.

On Dec. 10, 2009, in an encounter that happened in Manampunay, Leon, series of gun shots was heard by the students.

"Our teacher stopped holding classes. We were all afraid at that time," said 9 years old Jemar.

One of the children shared his experience when a military truck entered their school when an encounter happened near the area on February 2012 at Paga Leon.

"A strong earthquake hit us in the morning. In the afternoon soldiers, riding a military truck, and in full combat gear entered our school to inspect the damage caused by the earthquake. We were frightened because an ambush that happened in 2009 might happen again with their presence," said April.

REHABILITATION

Meanwhile, more than 100 children participated on the Children's Summer Camp conducted by the CRC-Panay at Manampunay, Leon on April 20 to 22.

The activity aims to document cases of children's rights violations and provide immediate psycho-social relief to the victims of armed conflict.

Pagurayan said that through the art and play sessions, the children would be able to regain their childhood and will learn to trust others.

Aside from the summer camp for children, a community training and education on adult members of the community on children's rights and children's rights protection was also conducted.

Ninety-four community members of Manampunay, Paga, Baje, Ayubo, Igdampog Sur and other adjacent barangays together with their Barangay council members participated in the community training and education.

The participating community members also drafted a unity statement on children's rights protection.

Among the points agreed upon were the demands to the government for an immediate prosecution of identified perpetrators of children's rights violations, for putting end to all grave child rights violations and militarization of the countryside.

They also commit to help in drafting guidelines for children's rights protection in cases of children's rights violations upon their return to their respective communities.*