Enrile favors lowering of minimum age of criminal responsibility
Credit to Author: acerojano| Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2019 12:56:34 +0000
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he favors the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility, adding that criminal syndicates tend to use minors to commit crimes.
“Tama yun because ginagamit ang kabataan ng mga certain criminal syndicates to propagate their hanabuhay. Criminality is a hanapbuhay at ginagamit nila ngayon ‘yung mga menor de edad, para sumulong yung kanilang negosyo,” Enrile said in the first episode of his radio show “Itanong mo Kay Manong Johnny.”
“Itanong mo Kay Manong Johnny” airs on Radyo Inquirer 990 AM and Digibox Beam TV from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Monday.
The former Senate President’s view on the issue came hours after the House justice committee initially approved a bill that would lower the age of criminal liability from 15 years old to nine years old.
READ: House panel swiftly okays lower age of criminal liability | Amid jeers, House OKs lower age of criminal liability
“Kaya, ang tunay na batas dati simula pa nung bata ako, 12 years old…After that, you have the what we call discernment already to know what is right and wrong. Yun ang batayan ng standard,” he added.
ITANONG MO KAY MANONG JOHNNY
Posted by Inquirer 990 Television on Monday, January 21, 2019
However, on Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved on second reading the said bill that seeks to lower the age of criminal responsibility from the original 15 to nine years old, to 12 years old.
READ: Amid public anger, house relents on criminalizing 9-yr-olds
“It’s not because I don’t like to help our teenagers no, but they’re already responsible. At the age of 14 nung araw and babae can already marry, at the age of 16 a man…can already marry. They can already have a family,” Enrile further said.
“That means, at that point in their lives, they begin to be responsible citizens,” he added.
The move to lower the age of criminal responsibility has divided public officials and earned condemnation by human rights groups.