MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Richard Gordon has come under fire for showing a “misleading” video during a Senate inquiry on the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility.
Child Rights Network (CRN), an alliance of various children’s rights and welfare organizations, said the video presented by Gordon, showing children dragging an elderly man out of a jeepney and hitting him, was taken out of context.
“The video is grossly misleading. The children shown in the video were from child rights organization Bahay Tuluyan, a CRN member. According to Bahay Tuluyan, the elderly man portrayed by Sen. Gordon as the ‘victim’ inappropriately touched one of the girls in the video, who was also a passenger in the jeepney,” the CRN said.
The CRN said Bahay Tuluyan informed them that the children were only reacting to what the elderly man did to their friend.
It said Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, ignored Bahay Tuluyan’s executive director Lily Flordelis when she raised her hand during the hearing to provide context on the video.
“In a way, the showing of the video, when the story behind it was neither validated nor verified, but nonetheless irresponsibly shown to trigger a negative image of children, is analogous to what is happening today,” the CRN said.
“When duty bearers refuse to understand the evidence that reform and restoration is possible, or hear the contrary opinion that age matters and weigh the negative impact of deprivation of liberty on a young life – all for the sake of political expediency and survival – what does that speak of our society that allows and accepts this travesty?” it added.
The network scored Gordon for supporting the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability to 12 years old despite contrary opinion from experts from various fields.
“Sen. Gordon and other lawmakers who support the lowering of the age have admitted that their decision is mainly due to accommodating what President Duterte wants,” the CRN said.
“These lawmakers have demonstrated willingness to take the shortcut, reject evidence and instead make children pay for the crimes that they were only forced by circumstance to take part in; crimes – many perpetrated by drug syndicates and nefarious forces – which actually victimize children; crimes that the administration cannot solve or nip in the bud, thereby using children as scapegoat,” it added.
The Senate committee planned to finish its report on juvenile law by tomorrow.
Gordon said he wanted the report submitted before Congress goes on break on Feb. 12.
He said he is eyeing higher penalty for parents who neglect their children as the present law merely penalizes them with a “slap on wrists.”
“Criminal liability should be attach to parents who neglect their child,” he said, adding that those who force their children to beg should face heavier penalties.
He said the committee would direct barangay officials to check on families who fail to send their children to school.
Aside from discussing the proposal on lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility, the committee called for a congressional review on the implementation of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
Gordon is also pushing for the employment of more guidance counselors who would look after the welfare of the children.
“There is only one guidance counselor in public schools where there are so many children. There should be one counselor per grade level,” he said.
Gordon said the teachers should coordinate with the guidance counselors in informing the barangay where the child lives and the barangay officials should compel the parents to send the child to school.
“If the parents refuse to send the child to school, we would have them charged before the DOJ,” he said, referring to the Department of Justice.
Gordon said appointing welfare officers in each of the over 42,000 barangays would mean additional jobs.
Dangerous section
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo yesterday said a “very dangerous section” was inserted in the bill lowering the minimum age of criminal liability.
Pabillo said Section 43-A of House Bill 8858 provides that any person found disclosing information related to proceedings involving children in conflict with the law should be penalized.
The prelate said this provision implies that once a child is arrested, the court has to decide within 72 hours to commit the child to special facilities.
After the lapse of 72 hours, no person can be allowed access to the records or any information related to the proceedings.
“No social welfare officer or personnel from non-government organizations and charitable institutions can help these children because no one will give out information for fear of being penalized,” Pabillo said.
He said he is opposing the bill as there is an existing Juvenile Justice Welfare Act, which provides that children in conflict with the law, including those at risk, should be placed in rehabilitation centers and not mixed with other prisoners. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan