A bill prohibiting corporal punishment to discipline children advanced a step ahead of the proposal to lower the age of criminal liability that could impose more severe punishment against a juvenile offender.
The House Committee on the Welfare of Children recently unanimously approved House Bill 516, otherwise known as “An Act Promoting Positive and Non-Violent Discipline of Children,” authored by Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy.
Herrera-Dy lauded the committee decision as she noted that the bill may be expected to be discussed on the plenary before the House Committee on Justice acts on House Bill 0002 or the measure proposing the lowering of the age of criminal liability from 15 to eight.
Earlier, House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, one of the principal authors of HB 0002, disclosed that the measure is among the bills listed in the House priority.
HB 0002 is a contradiction of HB 516 as the former seeks to lift exemption given to minors over nine years old from penal law.
Alvarez has underscored the importance of HB 0002 as part of the Duterte government’s determined anti-criminality drive.
He has demanded the resignation of Duterte cabinet members who are opposed to the proposal to lower the age of criminality. (Ben R. Rosario)