Philippines: soldiers kill nine year old girl as ‘communist’

From Davao Today in the Philippines, by Grace S. Uddin:

The Happy Life and Violent Death of Grecil Buya

Grecil Buya was a lively girl who liked to play with spiders and thought TV noontime show host Willie Revillame was a great artist.

She excelled in school, finishing Grade Two with honors and with the award “Most Neat and Clean.”

She took on chores, like minding the carabao.

On March 31, the nine-year-old girl was killed by soldiers during an encounter with the New People’s Army.

The soldiers claimed the nine-year-old girl aimed an Armalite rifle at them, forcing them to shoot her.

Family and friends were saddened by Grecil’s death but are outraged at the allegation that she was a communist guerrilla.

See also here.

And here.