TACLOBAN CITY – Two 14-year-old girls were rescued by government troops following a firefight between the military and suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay San Nicolas, San Jose de Buan, Samar, on March 14, 2025.
Soldiers from the 87th Infantry Battalion were conducting operations in the area when they came under fire from rebels under the Yakal Platoon, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Browser, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC).
Amid the clash, troops spotted the two unarmed minors and immediately secured them, according to a report from the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) based in Catbalogan City, Samar, released on Thursday, March 20.
The rescued girls were turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) in San Jose de Buan, where they received medical attention and psychological support.
According to an interview conducted by an MSWDO officer, the girls had been in the area gathering vegetables when a rebel fighter allegedly approached them and attempted to recruit them, the 8th ID said.
At the encounter site, government troops recovered one .45-caliber pistol with a magazine; one improvised homemade firearm; two cellular phones; documents detailing recruitment plans; and other personal belongings.
Major General Adonis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8th ID, praised the troops for their swift action in rescuing the minors.
“Our troops will relentlessly fulfill their mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the people in Eastern Visayas, especially our children and youth, who often fall victim to the CTGs’ twisted ideology,” Maj. Gen. Orio said in a statement.
Meanwhile, San Jose de Buan Mayor Joaquin Elizalde strongly condemned the attempt to recruit minors and urged the public to remain vigilant.
“We must protect our children from being recruited as child warriors, forced laborers, and other forms of exploitation. It is our responsibility to ensure that children’s rights are protected and respected. Let us work together to create a place where children can grow up safely, securely, and with dignity,” Mayor Elizalde said, as quoted in the 8ID report.
The 8th ID said that under Republic Act 11188 or the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act, it explicitly prohibits the recruitment, exploitation, and use of children in armed conflict.
(ROBERT DEJON/ROEL T. AMAZONA)
