CHR to gov’t: Address conditions that push children to commit crime

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has encouraged government to instead address “conditions that push children” to do illegal acts in a bid to sway moves to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old.

CHR expressed alarm over the House justice committee’s decision to approve a proposed law that seeks to lower criminal liability of children from 15 years old to nine.

CHR stressed minors should not be punished for failures of government institutions and adults to shield them from exploitation.

“We urge the government to address conditions that push children to such circumstances, rather than placing the burden on a child for the failures of institutions meant to protect them,” CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

“We stress the government’s obligation to protect our children, in line with the commitment we accepted when we signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,” she also said.

According to De Guia, the prevailing 1987 Constitution is clear about protection of children “from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitations, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.”

Earlier Monday, the House justice committee approved the proposed measure – a harmonized version of House Bill Nos. 2, 505, 935, 1609, 2009 and 3973 – that would amend Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

The committee approved the still unnumbered consolidated bill despite calls of various child welfare groups to dismiss such proposal.

READ: House panel swiftly okays lower age of criminal liability

During the House hearing, Justice committee chair and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador “Doy” Leachon (1st Dist.) defended the proposed law as “not anti-poor and ruthless” but a “pro-children administrative measure.”

“Let it be understood that with the present bill, we are not putting these children in jail but in reformative institutions to correct their ways and bring them back to the community,” Leachon said.  /kga