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Military says child allegedly 'taken' by soldiers was 'rescued' in NPA encounter

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The military claimed on Sunday that it rescued a Lumad girl during a military operation last week against communist rebels in the Caraga region.</p><p>This was after a non-governmental organization said that the soldiers had taken the minor and then branded her as ‘child warrior.’</p><p>The 3rd Special Forces Battalion said it &quot;rescued&quot; a minor during an operation against New Peoples Army guerillas at the boundary of Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur and Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on June 14. </p><p>This was a day before another encounter in Surigao del Sur where the military said 3 suspected rebels were killed. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/18/21/3-lumad-slain-in-surigao-del-sur-not-rebels-local-says-army-insists-theyre-reds">3 lumad slain in Surigao del Sur not rebels, local says; Army insists they&#x27;re Reds</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/18/21/lumad-killing-military-surigao-del-sur">&#x27;Massacre&#x27; umano sa 3 Lumad kabilang ang isang 12-anyos, kinondena</a></li></ul><p>Lt. Col. Benedict Harvey Gernale, Commanding Officer ng 3rd Special Forces Battalion, said they responded to reports about the presence of armed men in Sitio Tibog, Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan<br/>del Sur. </p><p>The encounter lasted 5 minutes, the military said. </p><p>Following the encounter, they &quot;rescued&quot; the girl who they brought to the police and then turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. </p><p>The military said it was able to retrieve black powder, blasting caps, and other materials used to make anti-personnel mines.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Save Our Schools network, which helps Lumad children, said the minor allegedly rescued by the military was &quot;taken&quot; after soldiers fired at farmers at a corn farm in Sitio Marang, Brgy. Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. </p><p>The group said 3 families were tending their farms in the area when soldiers fired at them, wounding two individuals.</p><p>Of the 18 individuals who were fired upon, 12 were children, and 3 were toddlers, the group said. </p><p>The families are members of MAPASU, a Lumad organization in the Caraga Region, it added. </p><div><strong>- With a report from Lorilly Charmane D. Awitan, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/14/21/charges-bakwit-7-cebu-dismissed">Charges vs 7 arrested Lumads in Cebu school dismissed for lack of evidence</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/15/21/no-rescue-needed-usc-svd-philippines-surprised-by-police-operations-in-lumad-school">&#x27;No rescue needed&#x27;: USC, SVD Philippines surprised by police operations in Lumad school</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1709842" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The military claimed on Sunday that it rescued a Lumad girl during a military operation last week against communist rebels in the Caraga region.</p>

The military claimed on Sunday that it rescued a Lumad girl during a military operation last week against communist rebels in the Caraga region.