The
conflict
involvement
violates
Children
have
"Convention
also
been
of c h i l d r e n
the
for c o m b a t
"Convention
declared
as
of
"zones
o n the Rights of the Child"
the
of
in any
manner
in
Rights
of
Children."
peace".
the
Article
armed
37
of
the
reads:
(a)
No child s h a l l be subjected to t o r t u r e or o t h e r cruel,
i n h u m a n
or
degrading
treatment
or
punishment.
Neither
capital
punishment
nor
life
imprisonment
w i t h o u t possibility
of release shall be
imposed
for
offences c o m m i t t e d by p e r s o n s b e l o w 18 y e a r s o f age;
(b)
N o c h i l d s h a l l be deprived of h i s or h e r liberty u n l a w f u l l y
or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or i m p r i s o n m e n t of a
c h i l d s h a l l be i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h t h e l a w a n d s h a l l be
u s e d only as a m e a s u r e of last resort a n d for the shortest
appropriate period of time;
(c)
Every child deprived
of liberty shall be treated
with
h u m a n i t y a n d rrspect for the i n h e r e n t dignity of the
h u m a n person,
and in a manner which takes
into
a c c o u n t t h e n e e d s o f p e r s o n s o f h i s o r h e r age.
In
particular
every child
deprived
of liberty shall
be
separated
f r o m a d u l t s u n l e s s it is considered
in the
child's best interest n o t to do so a n d s h a l l h a v e t h e right
to m a i n t a i n contact w i t h his or her family
through
correspondence
and
visits,
save
in
exceptional
circumstances;
XXX
The
and
Commission
on
H u m a n
Rights,
neutral constitutional body, does not commit
to the validity or legality of the a r m e d
respect
to
the
values
of
respect for h u m a n rights.
of the
"International
a n d rebel groups.
its
as a n independent,
constitutional
dignity
conflict.
of every
itself to take sides
It is m o r e c o n c e r n e d
h u m a n
person
and
It is its d u t y to call a t t e n t i o n to t h e
Humanitarian Law"
by
government
I t is i s s u i n g t h i s H u m a n R i g h t s A d v i s o r y
functions
of
monitoring
impartial
Philippine
as
with
the
full
observance
armed
forces
pursuant
to
Government
)
3
/