Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of sexual assault, rape, and murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Senator Robin Padilla sought a second time to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the country to 10 years old.
During the Senate session on Wednesday evening, August 13, Padilla expressed his concern for the growing number of heinous crimes committed by minors. According to the Senator, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that around 12,000 minors were involved in the top three crimes: rape, illegal drugs, and murder, since 2016.
Citing news reports on various crimes committed by children 14 years old and below, the senator claimed that some children threatened to hunt down and kill the policemen. For this reason, Padilla said it might be time to lower the criminal age of responsibility for minors.
“Ako naman po ay kailanman ay hindi nagmamalinis tungkol sa aking nakaraan at pinagdaanan. Ang totoo po, ang mga karanasan ding ‘yan ang aking pinanghuhugutan sapagkat nasaksihan ko po lahat ‘yan,” he said.
“Minsan na rin po ako naging in conflict with the law, dala ng pagiging mapusok mula pagkabata hanggang mag binata. Sa katunayan, noong ako po ay nasa bilangguan, ako po ay nangulila na magkaroon ng mga panukala na magbibigay proteksyon sa mga batang nakakulong,” he added.
Children and discernment
Under Philippine law, children aged 15 years and below are exempt from criminal liability and are only required to participate in the government’s intervention program.
With the increase in crimes committed by minors, Padilla pushed to lower the minimum age and amend the law for heinous crimes such as: kidnapping, robbery with homicide or rape, destructive arson, parricide, and murder.
“Alam niyo po mga kababayan, kung mayroon man isang nakaiintindi patungkol sa criminal mind ay wala na po sigurong gagaling pa dito dahil ex-convict ako. Hindi ko po ‘yan pinagyayabang, pero ito pong sinasabi ko ay karanasan ko,” Padilla emphasized.
Are kids liable for their own actions?
Taking from Padilla’s privilege speech, senators Raffy Tulfo and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa narrated their experiences with the matter.
Tulfo claimed that parents tolerate such actions from their children, adding that when confronted by authorities, parents are quick to show their children’s birth certificates. The latter, the senator alleged, acts as a shield so that minors do not have to suffer the consequences.
Adding to the statement, Dela Rosa also alleged that children are no longer recruited, but have now become the organizers of criminal syndicates.
“I think it’s about time na i-revisit natin itong batas na ito dahil nga noon, ang mga bata ang ginagamit ng mga sindikato. Pero ngayon, ang mga bata na mismo ang sindikato. Hindi na sila nagpapagamit, sila na mismo ang organizer sa criminal syndicate,” Dela Rosa emphasized.
This was in part because children are more susceptible to being influenced by adults, Padilla said.
Proper implementation or revision?
Challenging the proposal, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan questioned whether the law needs proper implementation or revision. Although the senator agrees that children should be held liable for their actions, abruptly increasing the minimum age is not the only solution.
“Ito’y madaling sabihin: parusahan ‘yung mga bata, ginagamit ng sindikato.’ Bakit hindi habulin ‘yung mga sindikato? Kasi mas madali parusahan ‘yung bata. Mahirap parusahan ‘yung mga sindikato dahil ‘yun makapangyarihan. ‘Yung bata, vulnerable. Ginamit na ng mga sindikato, expoilated na, biktima na dahil ginagamit at kinakasangkapan, at mabibiktima ulit ng estado dahil kailangan silang parusahan at ikulong,” Pangilinan emphasized.
“Kaya, kinakailangan marahil ay balansehin natin sa usapin ng unang-una [kung] ‘yun ba talaga ang sinasabi ng batas,” he added.
The senator welcomed the opportunity to debate the topic, pointing out that legislators need to weigh both sides: the perspective of the victims and the minors who committed the crime. In Pangilinan’s observation, it is not the limitations within the law that need to be looked at, but rather the proper implementation.
“Sana po buksan din natin ang isip natin sa usapin na kailangan na. Walang kailanman na sasabihin ko na kontra sa mga bata. Doon lang ako sa mga karumal dumal. Doon lang ako sa heinous. Doon lang ako sa hindi masikmura. Ako na ‘to, si Robin na po ako, nakita ko na ang worst of the worst pero hindi ko masikmura,” Padilla appealed.
