Filipinos pride ourselves on how we care for our children  because, as Jose Rizal is often quoted, ang kabataan ang kinabukasan ng bayan (the youth are the future of the nation). But late last month, the global human-rights watchdog Amnesty International revealed to the world how some Filipinos groups are molding our children for a future of death and destruction by using them as child soldiers in armed conflicts.

Citing a report of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the UN Security Council, which discussed child soldiers last February 23, AI said the Philippines is among 20 countries where child soldiers are employed in armed conflicts. It tagged the Philippines as a three-time offender after landing in three separate United Nations surveys. Besides the Philippines, AI identified Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, Uganda, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka as the worst offenders.

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