MANILA – The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the measure seeking to lower the age of criminal liability to 12 years old from the current 15.
In 146-34-0 vote on late Monday, the lawmakers passed House Bill 8858, which seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
Under the measure, children 12 years old and below at the time of the commission of offense will be exempted from liability, while above 12 but under 18 will be exempted from liability and be subjected to intervention program unless the minor acted with discernment.
There will be no imprisonment under the measure but there will be mandatory confinement if the age of the child would be above 12 years old up to 15 years old and committed serious offenses.
Among the serious offenses identified in the measure were murder, parricide, infanticide, serious illegal detention, carnapping, and violation of the dangerous drugs.
“Children who committed these crimes will not be detained in regular detention cells but in Bahay Pag-asa,” House Justice committee chairman Salvador Leachon.
The approved measure also laid out provisions for the construction and funding for Bahay Pag-asa, where the children who committed serious offenses will be confined.
The original proposal was to lower the age of criminal responsibility to nine years old, but it was changed to 12 years following a consensus of the majority of House members.
Following the amendment, the House’s version of the bill will now be aligned with Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s proposal of 12 years old as the minimum age of responsibility for children in conflict with the law./PN
