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House panel OKs bill lowering age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 9 years old


The House Committee on Justice on Monday approved the substitute bill seeking to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 years old to nine years old.

During its meeting after an executive session, the justice panel approved the motion of Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro to approve the substitute bill to House Bills 2, 505, 935, 1609, 2009 and 3973—all seeking a lower age of criminal responsibility.

Under the bill, a child nine years old and below at the time of the commission of offense would be exempted from criminal liability, while those above nine years old but under 18 years old would be exempted from criminal liability unless the minor acted with discernment.

 

 

House panel chair Oriental Mindoro Representative Salvador Leachon, in his opening speech, explained that the measure is not meant to put children in jail, but to reform them. At the same time, they will not branded as criminals but children in conflict with the law.

He also said his committee considers such measure as a legislation.

"The Committee recognizes that the youth is an integral part nation-building and the State must ensure and preserve their overall well-being," he said.

Leachon stressed that there has been an "alarming" increase in the number of syndicates that use minors in performing criminal acts.

"It is but the time to pass this bill to protect your children from being used by ruthless and unscrupulous criminal syndicates to evade prosecution and punishment," Leachon said.

"The current Congress gives utmost importance to legislative measures that ensure the safety of our future generations," he added.

Child rights groups and even Vice President Leni Robredo, however, opposed the approval of the measure, saying that children in conflict with the law are in need of help, not punishment.

"Sa ating mga kasamahan na mga mambabatas, iyong lowering the age of criminal liability, maawa naman po tayo sa ating mga kabataan,” Robredo said in a radio interview on Sunday.

"Imbes na parusahan natin sila, tulungan natin—tulungan natin na makapagbagong buhay," she added.

Meanwhile, Lotta Sylwander, representative of UNICEF Philippines, on Friday said that lowering the age of criminal responsibility "goes against the letter and spirit of child rights."

"There is a lack of evidence and data that children are responsible for the increase in crime rates committed in the Philippines. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility will not deter adult offenders from abusing children to commit crimes," she added.

At the Senate, a bill has been filed lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years old amid the number of crimes being committed by minors.

For Senate President Vicente Sotto III, author of the bill, lowering the age of criminal responsibility is a response to the "call of the times," even as he stressed that minors who will be caught committing crime will not be sent to jail but rehabilitated.

The bill is still at the committee level, and a hearing has been scheduled on Tuesday at the Senate.

Leachon is hoping that the measure will be enacted into law before the 17th Congress ends in June this year. —KG, GMA News

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