NDFP SOPC Statement: New Year, Yet AFP’s Child Killing Spree Continues In Masbate Province
Coni Ledesma | Head | Special Office For The Protection Of Children | National Democratic Front Of The Philippines
January 13, 2025
The NDFP Special Office for the Protection of Children (NDFP SOPC) vehemently condemns the cold-blooded murder of 14-year-old JP and 18-year-old Redjan in Barangay Paguihaman, Uson, Masbate province last December 27. These innocent teenagers were senselessly gunned down by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), a heinous act that continues to demonstrate the barbarity of state forces under the Marcos Jr. administration.
Based on community reports, the two teenagers were on their way home from a Christmas party at around 3AM when they were intercepted by soldiers, who mistook them for fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA). Without any provocation, the soldiers shot them in the head, causing their immediate deaths. JP, a resident of Barangay Mabini, and Redjan, from Barangay Mongahay, were both high school students with promising futures ahead of them.
It is now the new year, yet the AFP under Marcos Jr. continues its blood-thirsty habit of targeting youth and children in its counterrevolutionary war against the Filipino people. The murder of JP and Redjan underscores the fascist character of the AFP and its blatant disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law. Ang Bayan’s database reveals at least 37 cases of state-sponsored extrajudicial killings have occurred in Masbate province under the current regime. Such atrocities further inflame the people’s anger and fuel their determination to resist fascist oppression and injustice.
The AFP’s barbarity under Marcos Jr. knows no bounds as it continues to violate almost every rule governing war and the protection of civilians. International humanitarian law explicitly prohibits targeting non-combatants, yet the AFP repeatedly ignores this fundamental principle with impunity. From indiscriminate killings to the use of excessive force, the AFP’s actions under the current US-Marcos regime reveal a blatant disregard for human life and dignity. Such crimes erode any semblance of justice and accountability, further exposing the rotten core of a regime that prioritizes the militarization of communities over genuine peace and development.
The NDFP SOPC has initiated documentation of this case to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of JP and Redjan and assure them that the fight for justice will continue.
Source : https://philippinerevolution.nu/statements/new-year-yet-afps-child-killing-spree-continues-in-masbate/