Manila to penalize guardians of erring minors

Nearly a year after the Supreme Court struck down its previous ordinance for being “unconstitutional,” the Manila city council has finally passed a new city curfew measure that would penalize the guardians according to the age of their wards.

Under Ordinance No. 8547, teenagers below 18 years old are prohibited from loitering in the streets from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The revised measure also expanded the list of exemptions under the ordinance, such as being forced to stay out late for work, school, civic and religious activities—provided, however, that the children went home “without detours or other stops.”

If found culpable, the parents of erring minors will be slapped with graduated penalties that correspond to their supposed level of accountability based on the age of the minor.

Such a provision does not exist in similar curfew provisions in Quezon City and Navotas, which was also struck down by the high court for lacking safeguards to protect the constitutional rights of minors.