Approval of proposed juvenile justice law hits snag

MANILA, Philippines - The approval of the proposed Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act hit a snag as senators failed to reach an agreement over the minimum age of criminal liability.

The bicameral conference committee hearing on Senate Bill 3324 and House Bill 6052, which seeks to amend Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) of 2006, was held on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said he is amenable to the House proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 to address concerns over crimes committed by minors.

Sotto noted that a significant number of heinous crimes such as rape and murder are being committed by minors under the age of 15 who get away with the offense and become repeat offenders.

Sotto, however, said his colleagues in the Senate wanted the minimum age to remain at 15.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, principal author of RA 9344 and co-sponsor of the bill, cited a study by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, which considers 15 as the age of discernment.

Pangilinan said only 15 percent of the crimes committed by minors are serious and 90 percent are first offenders, adding that first offenders should be given a second chance.

He said the Senate panel is still working on a compromise based on the amendment proposed by Sotto. This means that the age of criminal responsibility would remain at 15 but will be lowered to 12 if the offense is a heinous crime.

The bill also provides that minors convicted of a crime be placed in an intensive juvenile intervention and support center within the Bahay Pag-Asa and not in regular jails.

Sotto, meanwhile, rejected the proposal of Sen. Pia Cayetano to bring the matter back to the technical working group, saying it was uncalled for.

Sotto also criticized what he described as meddling of the Commission on Human Rights in the bicameral conference, saying it should be an exclusive action of lawmakers. – With Helen Flores