(Eagle News) – The Senate is set to tackle today, Tuesday, Jan. 22, the bill lowering the age of criminal liability, from the previous 15 to the age of 12.
This is much higher than the House of Representatives approved version of the bill that lowered the minimum age of criminal liability to nine years old.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said that he agreed with lowering the minimum age of criminal liability to 12 years old.
He said that the age of 12 is the minimum age of criminal liability in most countries, and that it was even nine years old during the time of the late President Manuel Quezon.
-Sotto, Lacson agree on lowering minimum age of criminal liability-
“Panahon pa ni Quezon, 9 yrs old na criminal responsibility WHEN ACTING WITH DISCERNMENT. 12 yrs yun bill ko like most countries worldwide,” Pag may nang rape o pumatay na 13 yrs old ok lang? Tell that to the parents of the victims,” Sotto said in a tweet.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said that the age of nine is “too young” for criminal liability.
He gave three conditions for his support for lowering the age of criminal liability.
In a post on his Twitter account, Lacson said he would “support lowering the age of criminal liability to a certain level,” provided that:
* The youth offender is proven to have acted with discernment when he or she committed the crime, especially serious ones;
* Sentencing is suspended until the offender reaches the age of majority; and
* There are enough and properly supervised reformative facilities to rehabilitate the youth offenders.
Lacson said his support for the lowering of the age of criminal liability “to a certain level” will depend on “science-based testimonies of experts in the field of child psychology.”
On Monday, the House of Representatives, through the House Justice Panel, approved an amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act, lowering the age of criminal liability to nine from 15.
Leachon: House bill meant to protect children from syndicates-
House justice panel chair Rep. Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Salvador “Doy” Leachon said the bill seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to nine years old is meant to protect “children from being used by ruthless and unscrupulous criminal syndicates to evade prosecution and punishment.”
He said that under this bill children in conflict with the law will not be placed in ordinary prison cells, but will be placed under the care of nationally-funded and supervised “Bahay Pag-asa”, which are described as “24-hour child caring institutions established, funded and managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.”
-Bahay-Pag-asa to care for children in conflict with the law-
“Part of the features of a ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ is an intensive juvenile intervention and support center. This will cater to children in conflict with the law in accordance with Sections 20, 20-A and 20-B hereof,” a portion of the House bill read.
“A multi-disciplinary team composed of a social worker, a psychologist/mental health professional, a medical doctor, an educational/guidance counselor and a Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) member shall operate the Bahay Pag-asa,” it said.
“The team will work on the individualized intervention plan with the child and the child’s family,” it added.
The House bill was entitled: “Expanding the scope of the juvenile justice and welfare system and strengthening the social reintegration programs for the children in conflict with the law, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 9344, as amended, otherwise known as the ‘Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.”
