Rep Ilagan never loses hope to seek justice for Grecil Buya

"Despite two years of inaction of the Arroyo government on the death of Grecil Buya, we should never lose hope. We should continue to seek justice for Grecil and for all other children who were unjustly labeled as “child soldiers” but who were actually victims of brutal  militarization in remote areas especially in Mindanao",said  Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luzviminda Ilagan  during the interfaith prayer and candle lighting in commemoration of the death of Grecil Buya at Centennial Park, Davao City on March 31, 2009.

Grecil Buya, a 9 year old, who  lived with her parents in the hinterlands of Compostela Valley province was shot dead by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on March 31, 2007. The military took pictures of her dead body with an M-16 rifle at her side and reported that she was a child combatant of the New People's Army. Subsequent probes by concerned children's rights advocates showed the improbability of a diminutive Grade II pupil, that Grecil was, handling a weapon that was bigger and heavier than she was.

"Grecil is just one of hundreds of children who were summarily executed and tagged as "child soldiers" by the military under the Arroyo administration. Despite the outburst of different cause-oriented groups and individuals, President Arroyo who once proclaimed that she has a heart for children remains indifferent to the call for justice.” Rep. Ilagan said.

The Gabriela solon, together with Rep. Liza Maza, has filed house resolution 295, urging the house committee on human rights in Congress, to conduct an immediate inquiry into the increasing practice of the AFP of tagging or branding children in conflict areas as children combatants as in the case of Grecile Buya.

HR 295 has been pending in the Committee on Human Rights since it was filed  on November 5, 2007. #