PHILIPPINES

A shelter on the grounds of Sadanga National High School, Mountain Province, in the Philippines, used as quarters by soldiers of the 54th IB, Charlie Company, on November 28, 2001 © 2011 Jake Scobey-Thal/Human Rights Watch

PhilippinesIn the southern province of the Philippines, the national armed forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (along with its fraction groups) have been in an ongoing battle since the 1960s. This nationalist struggle has been particularly harmful to the schools in the region because both government and rebel forces have used these institutions during this conflict. In some schools used by government security forces, soldiers have been observed allowing children to handle weapons. Soldiers have also brought pornography into schools, consumed alcohol, and allowed children to watch violent movies with them.In July 2007, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) used a school in Aurora Province to hold a community meeting where soldiers displayed the corpse of an alleged member of the New People’s Army and forced residents to identify the individual. As a result, the school cancelled classes for some time as teachers and students refused to enter the school grounds. On August 25, 2011, the New People’s Army (NPA) placed an improvised explosive device on the grounds of an elementary school in Panabo municipality. The device was detonated to attract the attention of an AFP detachment recently established, but did not result in casualties.On 24 October 2011, 40 elements of the 113th Base Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) used a school in Zamboanga Sibugay province during an encounter with AFP.In November 2011, Human Rights Watch reported that the Philippine army had established a camp that encroached onto part of the school grounds of a high school in Sadanga, in Mountain Province... At the time, soldiers had been stationed at the school for more than a year.Armed groups, including MILF, NPA and ASG, were responsible for 88 incidents between December 2009 to November 2012 that involved direct attacks on education and health facilities, or damage by grenades, improvised explosive devices or crossfire. AFP was responsible for 28 incidents of the military use of schools. It should be noted, however, that the country task force observed a significant decrease in the number of incidents attributed to AFP from 2010 to 2013.

Philippine Resources GCPEA Report:

Lessons in War: Military Use of Schools and Other Education Institutions During Conflict

UN Security Council Report: Report of the Sec-Gen on Children and Armed Conflict, May 2013

UN Security Council Report: Report of the Sec-Gen on Children and Armed Conflict in the Philippines, July 2013

HRW Press Release: “We Told the Children Not to Enter”