(Eagle News) — The Department of Justice has submitted its position on the issue of lowering the age of criminal responsibility in the country.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, however, did not say what the stand of the current DOJ was, saying he would “rather that Malacanang process it first” and then “make it known.”
“But (for your information), the DOJ as early as November 2016 had indicated its position to lower the age of criminal responsibility,” Guevarra said.
According to Aguirre, during the time of then-Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, the DOJ had proposed for the age of criminal responsibility to be lowered to 13 years old.
The current law, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, pegs the age of criminal responsibility to 15.
On Monday, Jan. 21, the House justice committee approved a bill that seeks to lower the age of criminal responsibility to nine years old.
The Senate has a pending proposal to lower the age of criminal liability to 13 years old.
