(Eagle News)–The Palace on Wednesday, Jan. 23, hit back at critics of the proposal to lower the age of criminal liability in the country, saying they are “either unaware (of) or ignore the reality” that criminals now use children in their illegal activities.
“They simply have not read the provisions of the bill hence their opposition is based either on blissful ignorance or pretended misinformation,” he added, referring to the bill seeking to peg the age of criminal liability at 9 years old, and which the House justice committee approved on Monday, Jan. 21.
The Senate has another bill seeking to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years old.
Panelo issued the statement after United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard called out the government for the “shameful” proposal.
Panelo said she should instead stop “continuing her interference in the country’s domestic affairs while waging a political agenda of demolition against the President through her obviously unstudied accusations and parroting false information.”
House proposal explained
According to Panelo, the House bill in particular, seeks to take children who are above nine years old but below 18 years old who commit select offenses including murder, to youth care facilities which are supervised by a multi-disciplinary team including doctors, psychologists and social workers.
Panelo said “as in the present law, discernment in the bill remains the determining factor on whether a child who has committed a crime may be held accountable.”
The present law is the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act, which pegs the criminal age of liability at 15.
“To the mind of the President, the current law has laid the foundation for the emergence of a new generation of criminals,” Panelo said, adding that “when minors are released in as many times as they are arrested, criminality becomes a part of their lives and thereby evolving into being full blown criminals.”
He said the “intent of the proposed bill is precisely to protect children against criminals who victimize and coerce them to become offenders.”
“We are confident that Congress in legislating such law will ensure that due considerations on the protective rights of the child are weighed in,” Panelo said.