[JURIST] Two advocacy groups in the Philippines [JURIST news archive] said Tuesday that children are often the victims of extrajudicial killings, citing statistics compiled by Karapatan (The Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) [advocacy website]. The Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns and the Gabriela Women's Party [advocacy website] criticized Philippine President Gloria Arroyo [official website; BBC profile], saying that instances of human rights [JURIST news archive] violations have ironically increased in the Philippines since the end of martial law in 1981. The groups said that seven percent of the victims recorded by Karapatan since 2001 were children, and that five children have died in extrajudicial killings so far this year.

In July, Arroyo urged lawmakers [JURIST report] from both houses of Congress to pass legislation to curb extrajudicial killings and disappearances [transcript]. The Inquirer has more.