A/HRC/44/22 73. The 2019 report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict cited verified attacks and threats of attacks on schools and teachers, mainly for perceived support for NPA. The majority of these violations were attributed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which also used two schools as bases during military operations.105 2. Violations and abuses by the New People’s Army 74. OHCHR received individual submissions alleging human rights abuses by NPA, including killings, abductions, recruitment of children and extortion. 75. Without access to the country, OHCHR was unable to verify these reports. The Commission on Human Rights has, however, verified reports of killings by NPA, and the Government has stated that 80 incidents allegedly perpetrated by NPA are being examined under Administrative Order No. 35. The reports of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict from 2015 to 2019 confirm grave violations against children committed by both State and non-State actors. In 2018, 16 children were killed (four by the army and one killed by the Abu Sayyaf Group), and 41 children were maimed (four maimed by the army, three by NPA and one by the Maute Group).106 76. The United Nations has verified the recruitment and use of children by NPA in combat or support roles in 2019, and by the army to provide support in a military camp.107 The United Nations lists NPA among parties that commit grave violations affecting children in situations of armed conflict.108 D. Incitement to hatred and violence 77. In recent years, harmful rhetoric from the highest levels of the Government has been pervasive and deeply damaging. Some statements have risen to the level of incitement to violence. 78. The rhetoric has ranged from degrading and sexually charged comments against women human rights defenders, politicians and combatants – including rape “jokes” – to statements making light of torture, calling for bombing of indigenous peoples, encouraging extreme violence against drug users and peddlers – even offering bounties, calling for beheadings of civil society actors, and warning that journalists are not immune from “assassination”. Days after the imposition of COVID-19-related restrictions on movement, the President declared in an address to the nation that police, military and barangay officials were to shoot those disobeying orders, creating trouble or fighting.109 Responding to criticism about the distribution of relief supplies, he also threatened to detain “the left” until the COVID-19 crisis was over. The Commission on Human Rights commented that the President’s statement “is dangerous as it may be construed as an official policy from the Government”.110 The Chief of the Philippine National Police subsequently stated that the police would “exercise maximum tolerance” and act “within the bounds of the law”. 79. Other high-level officials have also used incendiary language inciting violence against critics of the Government. On 5 March 2020, reacting to a media comment by a non-governmental organization, a government minister tweeted as follows: “These are f--ing Communists. You shoot them. You don’t listen to them.” The tweet was later removed and the minister’s Twitter account temporarily blocked. 105 106 107 108 109 110 See A/73/907-S/2019/509. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. See https://pcoo.gov.ph/presidential-speech/nation-address-of-president-roa-duterte-on-coronavirusdisease-2019-covid-19-pandemic/ and https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/04/03/palace-defends-dutertesshoot-to-kill-order-vs-troublemakers/. See www.facebook.com/notes/commission-on-human-rights-of-the-philippines/statement-of-chrspokesperson-on-the-order-to-shoot-alleged-agitators-and-violat/2713442025438992/. 15