Insurgency: Army Use Of Child

The Army has unearthed another of the many rebels arms caches that remain buried throughout the nation. Its location was disclosed during a debriefing of a former NPA commander. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2319311/army-unearths-rebel-arms-cache-in-zamboanga-del-sur

Troops of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB) recovered an arms cache and war materiel in Barangay Dalapan, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, military officials reported.

The 53IB said the location of the hidden stash in Purok 3 was disclosed during a custodial debriefing with Florencio Sayamba, alias “Jay-R,” “Bebot,” and “Rico.”

Sayamba, a former commander of a militia unit under the defunct Guerrilla Front KARA of the New People’s Army’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, was apprehended during pursuit operations in San Miguel town on June 18. 

He is currently detained at the Pagadian City Jail in Barangay Lenienza, Pagadian City.

Recovered from the site were a carbine rifle, an Ingram submachine gun, a .38-caliber revolver, two hand grenades, a commercial radio with four antennas, and about 20 meters of detonating cord.

The confiscated weapons and equipment were brought to the 53IB headquarters in Guipos for documentation and proper disposition.

Too bad he was apprehended rather than surrendered because now Florencio Sayamba will likely not be able to avail of E-CLIP benefits. 

The Army is pulling out all the stops to persuade NPA fighters to surrender. In one recent case they posted birthday photos of a rebels child on Facebook. 

https://www.bulatlat.com/2026/10/07/army-use-of-child-a-violation-of-intl-humanitarian-law/

The Philippine Army’s publication of child pictures to pressure a New People’s Army (NPA) member to surrender is a violation of international humanitarian law (IHL), a human rights group said in a statement.

“Posting the child’s name, photograph and location while giving her mother an ultimatum to surrender was not only inhumane and exploitative, it was tantamount to holding the child hostage to compel her mother to do something against her will,” said human rights lawyer Maria Sol Taule, deputy secretary-general of Karapatan, in a statement on October 5. 

In a deleted post, the 93rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army published photos of a seven-year-old child with personal details under the pretext of a “birthday party” celebration to urge their NPA mother to surrender.

The Philippines is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions and is obligated to follow the rules of war under IHL. “Children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault. The Parties to the conflict shall provide them with the care and aid they require, whether because of their age or for any other reason,” the Fourth Geneva Convention stated.

The Philippines also ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child. Under this binding treaty, children should also not be subjected to any arbitrary or unlawful interference on her privacy, family, home or correspondence, or unlawful attacks to their reputation as outlined in the Article 16.

“What the 93rd Infantry Battalion did is equal to hostage-taking,” said Elle Buntag, secretary-general of child rights group Salinlahi. “Basically, it is exploitation to force their mother to surrender.”

The group also recalled the case of certain “Baby Rhea”, a two-month-old infant held hostage along with two pregnant Red fighters in November 2022.

On September 19, Karapatan reported that military agents shot Arnida Cuaton Maguiguilid as she was about to enter the gate of the boarding house in Tagum City. 

Maguiguilid was seven months pregnant, a member of New People’s Army on medical leave, and unarmed when she was seized by the elements of the 603rd Infantry Brigade and 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. 

“The pregnant NPA member, also vulnerable due to her condition, clearly had hors de combat status. Despite this, she was shot in the back, which crippled her and endangered her unborn child as well,” Taule said.

Rule 47 of the International Humanitarian Law prohibited attacking persons who are recognized as “hors de combat” or anyone who is defenseless because of unconsciousness, shipwreck, wounds or sickness.

“We are calling on the Filipino people, defenders of children’s rights, human rights and international humanitarian law, to help the victims attain justice and hold the AFP accountable,” Buntag said.

It's quite revealing that the Army has since deleted the post. But how did they obtain the photographs? If they know the names of NPA fighters why wouldn't they know where they are hiding? And do NPA rebels use Facebook? What is cellphone reception like in the wilderness?

That article also mentions the case of a pregnant NPA member who was shot in the back. The implication is that the Philippine Army shot her. However, that might not be the case. Here are two articles examining the situation from different angles. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2317551/karapatan-shooting-of-pregnant-npa-member-violates-international-law

Karapatan on Monday condemned the shooting of a pregnant member of the New People’s Army (NPA) by suspected military agents in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Lawyer Maria Sol Taule, deputy secretary general of Karapatan, said the shooting of a certain Arnida Cuaton Maguiguilid on Sept. 19 was “a violation of international humanitarian law.”

“The pregnant NPA member, also vulnerable due to her condition, clearly had hors de combat status,” she pointed out. “Despite this, she was shot in the back, which crippled her and endangered her unborn child as well.”

Citing earlier local reports, Karapatan said Maguiguilid, who was on medical leave from the NPA and seven months pregnant, was about to enter the gate of the boarding house where she was staying in Barangay Visayan when she was shot.

Maguiguilid was brought to the hospital by her housemate, where she was “seized” by elements of the Philippine Army (PA). She was presented before the media on Sept. 24 as a “surrenderee.”

The military distanced itself from the Sept. 19 incident and insisted that it only came into the picture to facilitate her surrender.

“Our immediate concern was to ensure that she was safely brought under government care and provided the medical attention she needed,” Maj. Ruben Gadut, spokesperson for the PA’s 10th Infantry Division.

This article says the woman was seized by the military at the hospital and later presented as a surrenderee. The fact that she was on "medical leave from the NPA" is kind of odd. Medical leave from the revolution? So, the NPA has safe houses and the house was not raided? Instead the woman was shot out front? Why wouldn't the Army raid the safe house?

This second article presents the story from a different angle.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2316473/ndf-seeks-red-cross-intervention-for-wounded-pregnant-rebel-leader

A spokesman for Maoist rebels operating in Southern Mindanao has called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene in the case of a pregnant New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla leader who was allegedly the subject of a kill attempt some two weeks ago in Davao del Norte.

Kim Montiza, spokesperson for the National Democratic Front-Far South Mindanao Region (NDF-FSMR), told the Inquirer the intervention from ICRC and human rights groups and lawyers will help ensure that the rights of Arnida Cuaton Manuiguilid, alias “Ka Lovi,” are respected as she recuperates from a lone but serious gunshot wound.

Montiza emphasized that under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), pregnant women and incapacitated combatants are strictly protected from attacks.

According to Montiza, Manuiguilid was around six months pregnant when she went on medical leave from her guerrilla unit in the first week of August. 

At past 6:00 p.m. on September 19, as Manuiguilid was closing the gate of her safe house after a quick run at a mall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, an unidentified gunman opened fire, leaving her crumpled and bleeding on the street, Montiza said.

The single bullet entered Manuiguilid’s back and exited through her chest, a detail confirmed by Maj. Ruben Gadut, spokesperson for the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID).

But Gadut said the Maoist fighter is now in stable condition, although Montiza claims that the amazona is “paralyzed from the waist down” because of the gunshot wound.

Both Gadut and Montiza are clueless regarding the condition of Manuiguilid’s pregnancy following the traumatic attack.

For days following the shooting, her exact situation was unclear. However, Gadut said that on September 25, Manuiguilid had “surrendered” and was by then receiving treatment in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, more than 200 kilometers away from Tagum.

Gadut claimed that the transfer was made upon Manuiguilid’s own request. Hailing originally from General Santos City, she asked to be brought to Koronadal City so she could be closer to her family.

Gadut distanced the military from the September 19 shooting, labeling it a “police matter” that involved an unidentified perpetrator.

The Army, Gadut pointed out, only entered the picture on September 25 to facilitate her surrender.

“Our immediate concern was to ensure that she was safely brought under government care and provided the medical attention she needed,” Gadut said. 

He added that her surrender formally allows her to avail of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP.

So, this lady went out for a quick run to the mall, again odd seeing as she is a wanted revolutionary, and was shot upon attempting to enter her house. She is described in negative terms as a "Maoist fighter" and an "amazon." The military claims they had nothing to do with the shooting and it is a "police matter." 

Spokesman Maj. Ruben Gadut says they facilitated her surrender on September 25th while the previous article says she was presented as a surrenderee a day earlier on the 24th. Is that a typo? What's the real timeline here? There also appear to be conflicting accounts of the woman's condition. The military says she is in stable condition while the NDF claims she is paralyzed from the waist down. How would the NDF know anything about her situation when she is in a hospital surrounded by the military?

And who shot this lady? Why would a random unknown shoot this specific woman who is an NPA rebel on medical leave? Did they know her identity and that she was attempting to enter an NPA safe house? Lots of questions to be answered by the police. 

The NPA claimed responsibility for a recent attack that wounded two soldiers and killed one CAFGU member. 

https://digicastnegros.com/npa-claims-responsibility-for-escalante-attack-that-killed-cafgu-member-wounded-2-soldiers/

The New People’s Army has claimed responsibility for the Sept. 29 attack on government troops in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, that left one Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member dead and two soldiers wounded.

In a statement on Oct. 7, Ka Cecil Estrella, spokesperson of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-NPA Northern Negros Guerrilla Front, said its members carried out what it described as a harassment operation against personnel of the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) and CAFGU in Sitio Bautista, Brgy. Malasibog, at around 3 p.m.

The NPA claimed its fighters opened fire on government troops conducting a patrol in the area, resulting in one fatality and two injuries on the government side.

Estrella said the exchange of gunfire lasted about three minutes and claimed that all NPA fighters were able to withdraw safely.

The group also alleged that government troops continued firing for about an hour after the initial exchange. This claim has not been independently verified.

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) earlier confirmed that one CAFGU Active Auxiliary member was killed and two soldiers were wounded during the armed encounter.

However, the military said the firefight lasted about 10 minutes, differing from the NPA’s account.

According to the Army, personnel of the 79IB, including members of its Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Program team, were conducting a security patrol when they came under attack from an armed group.

The two wounded soldiers were brought to a hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.

Maj. Gen. Joey Escanillas, commander of the 3ID, earlier condemned the attack and assured the family of the slain CAFGU member of assistance.

The Army maintained that its personnel were in the area to support peace and development initiatives and protect communities from armed groups.

Meanwhile, the NPA said the attack was carried out in response to what it described as increasing military presence in the area and alleged killings attributed to government forces.

The rebel group also claimed continued support from communities in Toboso and Escalante, although this assertion could not be independently established.

The military, for its part, maintained that security operations would continue to prevent armed groups from regaining influence in communities.

The Sept. 29 encounter also affected residents of Sitio Bautista, with 13 families comprising 41 individuals reportedly evacuating due to fears following the firefight.

Despite being "strategically defeated" the NPA remains a deadly threat.