Police lack orientation on Juvenile Justice Law

CEBU - An official of the Police Regional Office-7 yesterday admitted that policemen still need to be oriented and to master the law on how to deal with minor offenders.

Chief Insp. Cleofe Ramago, chief of PRO7’s Family, Juvenile and Gender Sensitivity section said that they received a number of complaints from families of children that they were confined in prison cells after being caught committing a crime.

“Children aged 15 years old and below who have been apprehended by police for committing a crime must not be detained in the police station’s cell as clearly stipulated under the Juvenile Justice Act,” Ramago said.

Ramago was one of the guest speakers in the recent Kapihan sa PIA forum that focused on Children’s Month that is being celebrated in the month of October.

She said PRO7 has been conducting series of orientation seminars in the provinces of Bohol, Siquijor, Oriental Negros and Cebu to brief police officers on the proper handling of children who are in conflict with the law.

Emma Patalinghug of the Department of Social Welfare and Development explained that under the law, children who are arrested for committing a crime can be taken to the police office but only for determination of the age of the juvenile delinquent.

If they are found to be 15 years old below, they are automatically exempted from any criminal liability.

Patalinghug said these children should be turned over within eight hours to the custody of the local DSWD of the municipality or city concerned.

The local DSWD will then conduct an assessment of the juvenile offender with utmost priority placed on the child’s safety especially on whether it would be beneficial to the child to be returned to his or her parents.

However, if the child’s parents are unfit to take care of the minor offender, the local DSWD would place the child under the responsibility of the Barangay Council for the Protection and Welfare of Children.

“Unfortunately, we have a problem on the BCPC as not all BCPC are functional since barangay election was held just last year so there are new leaders at the barangay helm,” Patalinghug said.

Furthermore, Patalinghug said those aged 18 years old and below are considered minors but only the 15 years and under are automatically exempt from criminal liability.

With this, there are concerns that the law can be used by the criminal syndicates or adults to use children in committing crimes like making them as drug couriers or snatchers.— Ferliza C. Contratista/WAB (THE FREEMAN)