Renewed bid to lower age of criminal responsibility panned

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A renewed push to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to "above nine years old" has been met with criticism that the policy would be ineffective and discriminatory.

This, as Senate President Vicente Sotto III refiled a measure seeking to lower the age of criminal responsibility on Monday.

Human rights group Karapatan said lowering MACR "to above nine years old" exacerbates the already dangerous situation of Filipino children.

"The refiling of the bill means that this government is hell-bent on allowing Filipino children to serve as a collateral damage in the government’s sham and anti-people policies," said Jose Mari Callueng, a member of Karapatan's national council.

Lowering the age of criminal responsibility, Callueng added, "does not address the dire situation of children, nor does it attempt to solve the socio-economic conditions at the root of the problem." 

Sotto's pushing for the bill demonstrates a privileged position that refuses to consider the plight of poor children who have been disadvantaged because of their conditions, the Karapatan official explained.

The rights group said the government should instead focus on stopping the operations of big-time crime syndicates and their patrons, and on addressing the socio-economic problems that Filipinos face.

"Militarist policies such as the reinstatement of death penalty and the proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility have been repeatedly proven to be ineffective in curbing criminality," Callueng said.

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According to a study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least 45% of the offenses attributed to children are petty theft, robbery, and other offenses against property, while 65% of minor offenders come from poor families.

The proposal to lower the MACR from 15 prompted heated debates earlier this year, with even the policy-making Council for the Welfare of Children calling it a short-sighted solution.

"Children are not little adults. Particularly, children in conflict with the law are victims and not criminals. As victims of circumstances, they should be supported and accorded with appropriate intervention and rehabilitation not only by the government but also with the family and the community as well," CWC said then.

It added: "Most importantly, they have the right to grow up in a caring and protective environment and be given a chance to redeem themselves."