Jejomar Binay supports lower age for criminal liability

MANILA, Philippines — Former vice president Jejomar Binay supports President Duterte’s proposal to lower the age of criminal liability amid recent cases where minors are involved in various crimes. 

Binay said the government should restore the previous provisions in the penal code where any individual as young as nine years old and with active discernment can be held liable for a committed crime. 

“Let’s go back to the previous penal code provision, yung bang nine years and above who acted with discernment may criminal liability na yun. Ano magagawa natin, may ginawang kasalanan. Bakit naman natin hahadlangan ‘yun?” Binay said. 

Citing his experience as a mayor of Makati City, Binay said that illegal drug peddlers are now using minors as drug couriers while a lot of minors are involved in rape cases and crimes against women. 

Duterte has recently brought up the passage of Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which he blamed for the rising crimes in the country as he criticized Sen. Francis Pangilinan, author of the law. 

Under the law, a child between 12 to 15 years old who committed serious crimes is deemed a neglected child and shall be mandatorily placed in a special facility within the youth care facility. 

In another development, Binay, who was a human rights lawyer during the Marcos regime, said that he has created a group of human rights lawyers dubbed as “Artikulo 3” a few years after he lost to Duterte in the 2016 presidential polls. 

Binay said aside from the creation of Artikulo 3, he focused on bible studies and other religious activities where he found inner peace after the elections. 

He said that he has already forgiven his critics before particularly Sen. Antonio Trillanes and former senator and foreign secretary Alan Cayetano. 

He said that he has nothing against Trillanes and Cayetano, but wishes for them not to suffer what he went through. 

Asked to react about the quo warranto case of ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and on Trillanes current situation, Binay said that a quo warranto case is not applicable for the magistrate while he believes that Trillanes’ amnesty is valid. 

He said the cases filed against Trillanes were final and executory, meaning they could no longer be revived.