DILG chief backs lowering age of criminal responsibility

MANILA, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla is supporting calls to lower of the age of criminal responsibility.

“Yes, I am. The Juvenile Justice law, the defect we see in our analysis, is that juveniles are now being used to be drug couriers so that, if they get caught, they cannot be charged,” Remulla told reporters in Filipino in a chance interview at Camp Crame on Wednesday.

“We don’t know yet. We’d have to talk with Congress, Remulla added, when asked about the specific age for criminal responsibility.

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READ: PNP eyes DepEd coordination after Tacloban, Cavite school attacks

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Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act states that children 15 years old and younger are exempt from criminal liability and would instead be subjected to intervention programs.

The law also provides that children older than 15 years old but younger than 18 years old are only criminally liable if they acted with discernment.

RA No. 9344 became a topic of renewed public interest in the wake of the fatal shooting incident at a Tacloban City high school staged by two students, aged 14 and 15.

The incident left three students dead and several others wounded.

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Both minor suspects were taken into the custody of the local police and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“It looks like murder. But, again, one of them is 15-years-old. So, we will consult with the DSWD if he can be tried as an adult,” Remulla explained. /gsg

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