SENATE President Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto III is seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal liability to 13 following recent incidents involving juvenile delinquents.
Sotto yesterday filed Senate Bill 2026 to amend Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 to lower criminal responsibility from age 16 to 13.
The Senate chief, in filing the measure, said he was “alarmed” over recent incidents involving minors committing crimes.
He recalled a 15-year-old beating another minor to death in Caloocan City and the group of street children that dragged an old man out of a jeepney to get his bag in Manila, among others.
He lamented that criminal syndicates are exploiting the provisions of RA 9344 by using minors for their illegal activities. He pointed cases in illegal drugs where teenagers were used as pushers or runners of drug syndicates.
“This bill will finally give clarity to the true intention of the law. The amendment to the law will institutionalize the criminal liability of teenagers who committed serious criminal offense,” Sotto said.
“Not only was the law abused by criminals but the innocence of these youngsters was deliberately taken from them,” he added.
The lowering of the age of criminal liability, he said, will allow the government to “adapt to the changing times.” He said this also heeds President Duterte’s appeal to Congress last year, in line with his campaign against criminality. (Vanne Elaine P. Terrazola)