Arroyo supports passage of bill lowering age of criminal liability

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (File Photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has expressed support for the passage of the bill aimed at lowering the age of criminal liability of children from 15 to nine years old.

With this, Arroyo will attend the House Justice panel’s committee hearing to finalize the measure on Monday at 10 a.m.

The House panel will tackle House Bill No. 505, which sought to amend Republic Act 10630 to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 years old to nine years old.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador Leachon, chairman of the Justice Committee, said the House panel will be finalizing the bill “hoping that the matter will be passed into law before the end of the 17th Congress.”

READ: House set to finalize bill on lowered age of criminal liability from 15 to 9

The measure is still pending with the House committee on justice since July 27, 2016.

Aside from this, House Bill No. 2009 will also be tackled, which aimed to “reinstate criminal liability of children above nine years who commit heinous crimes.” /jpv