‘Catriona may have been misinformed on age of criminal liability’

MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray should be educated about the problems that arise when children commit crimes, Malacañang said yesterday after the beauty queen expressed reservations over a bill that seeks to lower the age of criminal responsibility.

Gray, who is in the country for her official homecoming, has called on Filipinos to focus on addressing the reasons why children commit crimes rather than lowering the age of criminal responsibility.

The Filipino-Australian beauty queen claimed children’s hearts are pure but sometimes, “circumstance bears down on them.” She also opposed labeling children as people in conflict with the law, believing that the criminal acts they committed may be “a consequence of their circumstances or their environment.”

Asked to comment on Gray’s remarks, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Philippines’ fourth Miss Universe may have been “misinformed.” 

“She should be educated... She may have been misinformed of the facts...given the opposition (to the proposal) by critics of the administration,” Panelo said at a press briefing. 

“The focus of the (proposed) law  is rehabilitation. So you are solving precisely the problem why these people are engaged in crimes,” he added. 

Justifying the administration’s support for lowering the age of criminal liability, Panelo said some high school students have been involved in drug trafficking. He clarified that under the proposed law, children who commit crimes would not be jailed.

“Perhaps we must give some enlightenment or education. Many do not understand...Perhaps Miss Universe did not understand,” the presidential spokesman said.

“Miss Universe, they will not be jailed. We will rehabilitate them. You are right. Let’s focus on the problem; we are precisely focusing on the problem. Because the problem is they are engaged in crimes. So what will we do? We will have to rehabilitate them. Learn why they have committed these crimes and then put them back to society,” he added. 

Panelo said he was glad that Gray talked about the issue because it showed that she was concerned with the issues confronting the country.   

The House of Representatives has passed on final reading a bill lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 from 15 despite protests from groups who believe children should not be placed behind bars. The Senate has yet to approve its version of the bill.