Bishops buck 9-yr-old ‘cons’

Rudy Diamante, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care. PHOTO FROM CBCPONLINERADIO.COM

THE CATHOLIC Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is opposed to a proposed House bill to lower the minimum age of criminal liability for minors to nine from 15.

Rudy Diamante, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Prison and Pastoral Care, said no child suspected of involvement in a crime should be placed behind bars.

“No child should be in detention. The government should instead provide programs, especially for out-of-school youth,” he said in an interview on Saturday over Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas.

Diamante was reacting to proposals to lower the minimum age of criminal liability to nine years old from the current 15 years as stated in the current law.

Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvareza, the incoming Speaker, and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro have filed a bill seeking to lower the age of criminal liability.

The authors pointed out that children were being used in the commission of crimes by their elders since the present law does not hold young minors liable for any crimes.

For his part, Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said lowering the age of criminal liability would not stop crime but only increase the number of criminals.

Santos, chair of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, said in a statement on Monday that efforts should be directed at letting children be children rather than at tagging them as criminals.

“Let us see to their health and education so they will grow into good citizens. We should be concerned about peace and order where everyone, especially the children, are protected and secure,” he said.

Santos added: “We are also responsible for every child that is thrown into criminality. Jesus said, ‘Suffer the little children, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’”