Senator Pangilinan: Gravity of crime, not age, should be considered in amending Juvenile Justice Act

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday said the gravity of the crime, not just the age of a child offender, should be considered in amending the Juvenile Justice Act or Republic Act 9344. 

Pangilinan, author of the original law, said children who steal to have something to eat should not be treated the same way as children who commit heinous crimes.

This was in reaction to the resolution filed by Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from the current 15 years old to nine years old.

“Hindi naman ata tama na lahat ng batang nagkamali ay ating ikukulong at kakasuhan, maliit o malaki man ang kasalanan. Dapat tingnan natin ang bigat ng kasalanan. Hindi dapat pareho ang trato sa batang nagnakaw para may makain sa isang batang nakagawa ng matinding krimen,” Pangilinan said in a press statement.

Pangilinan also said age should not be the focus of the laws that legislators want to enact.

He said every crime, especially those committed by minors, need to be carefully reviewed.

“We cannot generalize for all. We need to consider the crime and the circumstance or context of the crimes…It is not right that all child offenders, regardless of the crime, be jailed and prosecuted. We should also look at the gravity of the crime,” he said.

Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 or Republic Act 9344 as amended, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 15 years old. 

Pangilinan said the age was pegged based on numerous scientific studies endorsed by international child’s rights organizations on the age of discernment of Filipino children. 

Is the crime heinous?

Meanwhile, Pangilinan said certain questions that may be raised, such as: Is the crime heinous? What were the circumstances that brought to the child offender to that criminal situation? Is the child offender a recidivist?

Has the child offender’s family and community environment been conducive to his or her development into a responsible member of society? Has the child offender been through a rehabilitation program? How has that program or programs been ineffective? What are the other possible areas of rehabilitation?

“Huwag tayong padalos-dalos sa mga batas na magtatakda sa kinabukasan ng mga batang maaaring naliligaw lang ng landas. Alamin muna natin ang mabuti di lang para sa kanila kundi para sa ating lipunan,” he said.

Opposed to HB 2

Pangilinan also opposed a line in House Bill Number 2 or the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Act, which cited RA 9344 as “laudable” but also “pampering… youth offenders who commit crimes knowing they can get away with it.”

“Pampered? Marami sa mga batang may sala ay di lumaki sa mga marangya o mapagparayang mga pamilya. Marami sa kanila ay nag-umpisang snatcher dahil sa gutom. Maya-maya, gumagamit na sila ng droga, kadalasan para di na nila maramdaman ang gutom dahil mas mura ang rugby kaysa pagkain. Dahil dito nawawala na rin ang kanilang pagiging tao,” he said.

The senator also said the argument children being used by crime syndicates should be jailed is not sound.

“Parang mali naman ata ang argumentong iyan. Kapag ikinulong ang mga batang ginagamit ng mga sindikato sa paggawa ng krimen. Kukuha lang ang mga sindikato ng iba pang batang sindikato ng iba pang batang maabuso sa dami ng batang napapabayan ng magulang,” he said.

Pangilinan said RA 9344 as amended is considered a landmark child protection law that establishes a comprehensive and child-sensitive justice system.

He said it prohibits the detention of children in jails, especially with hardened criminals, and provides for juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention programs, among others. — VVP, GMA News