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- House committee approved bill that would lower the minimum age for criminal liability to nine years old.
- Netizens expressed their disappointment regarding the decision.
The House committee on justice approved the bill that would lower the criminal liability from 15 years old to nine years old.
The panel gave a thumbs up to the substitute bill that would amend Republic Act (RA) 10630. It currently allows 15-year-old criminal responsibility; allows those as young as 12 to be detained in youth care facilities or Bahay Pag-asa for crimes such as rape, murder, and homicide.
The said House Bill would mandate those nine to 14 years old who commit murder, parricide, infanticide, serious legal detention, car-napping, and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 – to be subjected to “mandatory confinement” for rehabilitation.
Netizens have expressed their opinions regarding the House bill, most of them expressing disappointment.
https://twitter.com/VikoFumar/status/1087299586283065344
As a psych major, I am concerned about the lowering of the age of criminal liability as it goes against everything we know in child & developmental psychology.
As a human, I am simply appalled. How low & heartless have we become as a society.
— Nicolas Antonio (@nico_antonio) January 21, 2019
They have also started the hashtag #ChildrenNotCriminals.
Can you imagine a 3rd-4th Grader as criminals? We denounce House Bill lowering the age of criminal liability from 15 to 9 years old. #ChildrenNotCriminals pic.twitter.com/PQntU2wa2G
— Black Pencil Project (@PencilTreks) January 21, 2019
The fact that members of Congress would agree to lower the minimum age of criminal liability speaks a lot abt how they put malice & bad faith to the Filipino kids. Kaloka di ba kayo mahal ng mama nyo??? #ChildrenNotCriminals
— Vince 🏳️🌈🌹 #51AkbayanPartylist (@vinceliban) January 21, 2019
Here's the usual profile of children in conflict w/ the law:
– are neglected by parents
– don't have the means to go to school
– live in high crime areas
– exploited by adults & syndicatesDON'T MAKE THEM SUFFER FROM CONSEQUENCES NOT OF THEIR OWN CHOOSING. #ChildrenNotCriminals
— Ash Presto 💜 (@sosyolohija) January 21, 2019
A Netizen also stated that the government should not stop depriving the children of their rights to have a brighter future and develop programs that can help them instead.
https://twitter.com/alissconol/status/1086633252994060291
https://twitter.com/maantok/status/1086492739678568448
https://twitter.com/iveronclarice/status/1087191872424955904
Amid the opposition of many, House justice panel chairperson and Oriental Mindoro first District Representative Paulino Salvador Leachon stated that they are not putting the children to jail.
“Let it be understood that with the present bill, we are not putting these children in jail but in reformative institutions to correct their ways and bring them back to the community. They are not branded as criminals but children in conflict with the law.”
