Lowering age of criminal liability an anti-child policy, says solon

BAGUIO CITY — Ifugao lawmaker Teodoro Baguilat is urging members of the House of Representatives to fight the move to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to nine years old, saying that doing so will go against the best interests of the child.

"We just celebrated the Feast of the Sto. Nino and we, as a Christian Nation, believe that the path to our salvation is to see the world through the innocence of a child. Children deserve and need our guidance and support, not severe punishment," Baguilat said.

He said the proposal, which is part of President Rodrigo Duterte's legislative agenda, is "cruel and unjust" and will not address the roots of juvenile criminality.

"Children should be treated with more compassion and understanding. Subjecting them to criminal prosecution for mistakes or wrongdoings that their young minds cannot yet discern will irreparably damage their future," Baguilat said.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez filed House Bill 002 to lower the age of criminal liability, claiming that crime has risen because children are being used as drug couriers.

Baguilat has called on the public to oppose the passage of the bill, which is one of the pet bills of Alvarez and the majority. The Lower House has been running an online poll to get the public's pulse on the proposed measure.

"Instead of amending the law and lower the age of criminal liability, I believe that it will be more productive to strengthen the current Juvenile Justice and Welafare Act and provide more resources for the government agencies and local government units to effectively rehabilitate children in conflict with the law," Baguilat said.

The Ifugao lawmaker enjoined families, schools, churches, and other civic organizations to work together to prevent children from getting into conflict with the law in the first place, through such actions as keeping them in school.

He echoed sentiments of other organizations such as the United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF, which has been consistent in its opposition to the proposed lowering of the age of criminal responsibility.

"Reducing the minimum age of criminal responsibility goes against the best interests of the child and threatens the well-being of the most vulnerable children," the organization said.