Manila: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today it is deeply concerned with recent reports of children in the Philippines being caught in alleged government operations causing their untimely and unjustifiable deaths.
Last week, 16-year-old Johndy Maglinte was shot by police officers serving a warrant of arrest for drug suspect, Antonio Dalit in Barangay Canlalay, Binan, Laguna.
In another recent incident, 12-year-old girl Angel Rivas, was one of the three casualties in an alleged security operation led by state forces in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
"UNICEF mourns with the families of Johndy and Angel and joins the public in the call for a swift, thorough, and independent investigation of their deaths," said the UN agency in a press release on Wednesday.
"We urge the Government to ensure that justice is served, and perpetrators be held to account," it stated.
The Philippines, as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, has a legal and moral obligation to promote, protect and fulfil the human rights of every child.
"Children must be protected at all times and in all situations and their best interests must be the guiding principles in every action by Government officials," it stated.
It is notable that the Philippine National Police has already undertaken steps to investigate the Laguna incident.
Meanwhile, under the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC) law or Republic Act No. 11188, a death of a child, after due investigation by the Commission on Human Rights, can be verified to be a grave child rights violation (GCRV).
Under the Strategic Plan to Prevent and Respond to Grave Child Rights Violations in Situations of Armed Conflict, signed between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United Nations Country Taskforce on Monitoring and Reporting, the AFP commits to prevent the perpetration of all GCRVs within the AFP and other groups under the employ of the AFP.
Congruently, the Philippine National Police is poised to adopt its Child Protection Policy which includes the principle of respecting the rights of children to dignity and protection from degradation, humiliation, exploitation and assault.
UNICEF is committed to work with the AFP and the PNP on implementing both the Strategic Plan and the highly anticipated Child Protection Policy, so that all rights of children are upheld, fulfilled, and protected.
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