Lower age of criminal liability dead in the Senate —Bam Aquino

The measure seeking to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old will not pass the Senate, Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV declared on Monday.

Aquino made the bold remark after 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.

“I absolutely doubt that this will pass the Senate. I think there’s enough in the Senate currently who know that lowering the age of criminal liability to nine years old is completely out of bounds,” Aquino said.

“The laws that we have now, maybe there’s room to tweak it, but to go this drastic to lower the age of criminal liability to nine is crazy, is cruel and to be honest, I think it’s immoral,” he added.

After an executive session, the justice panel on Monday 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.

Aquino called the proposal "immoral" and expressed fear that some minor offenders would be meted the death penalty.

He said the government should help rehabilitate minors who have problems with the law rather than punish them for their actions.

“Ang dapat nating tutukan ay ang pagpapaganda at pagpaparami ng mga Bahay Pag Asa para makatulong sa pagbabago ng mga bata at hindi sa pagpaparusa sa kanila,” Aquino said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said lowering the age of criminal liability is criminally short-sighted.

“I completely understand the public's real concerns about their safety, livelihood and property and the need for them to be addressed," Hontiveros said in a statement.

"Alam ko ang pangamba ng publiko sa mga menor de edad na sangkot sa pambabato ng mga sasakyan, bentahan ng droga, nakawan at karahasan. But to simply imprison minors is not the solution,” she added.

Senator Nancy Binay urged lawmakers to carefully study measures that would affect the development of children. She said studies in psychology and neurobiology show that brain function reach maturity only at around 16 years old.

"As a mother of 9-year old twins, alam ko na sa ganitong edad wala pa silang tamang kakayahan to decide kung ano ang tama at mali," Binay said.

"Even though we are serious in stopping juvenile crime, lowering the age of criminal responsibility may not be the best way to save children who may have gone astray," she added.

She said if syndicates and gangs were using children, the government must initiate stronger efforts to counter them and save the children from the blame.

"Hindi po lahat ng bata ay batang-hamog, at kaagad na lang ituturing na delinkwente 'pag nagkamali. At hindi lahat ng batang nalihis ng landas ay agad na ituturing kriminal," Binay said.

"We are definitely missing the point regarding this issue. These manipulated youth are also victims. We need to strengthen our social systems and not only the penal system," she added. —NB, GMA News