Children are the hope of the society and the instrument for development.

However, some children,

especially the unfortunate ones, fail to conduct their part of the responsibility bestowed upon them. The
country’s justice system is doing its part on rectifying the faults of its people. And as the law suggests,
children also hold the liability to each crime they may be linked to. Concerning this, the house of senate
is holding a process of lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility from fifteen years old to nine
years old - which is quite questionable.

All actions correspond to rightful consequences. Crimes should be subjected to legal interventions
which apply to every person living in the country. All citizens that happen to have made a criminal act are
legally processed and are punished accordingly. As to the current situation of the juvenile justice system
of the Philippines, children who are fifteen years old or under at the time of the commission of the offense
shall be exempt from criminal liability, but should be subjected to an intervention program pursuant to
the Section 20 of the R.A. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. However, if a child aged
between fifteen and eighteen years old has acted with discernment, in which case, shall be subjected to
legal proceedings in accordance to the said act. The present system is reasonable given that the age
bracket implies that the child is in his/her middle adolescent age – a stage in a person’s adolescence where
they have the stability in most aspects of human development.

Meanwhile, the age below fifteen, preferably nine years old, is the stage where the transition
from childhood to adolescence takes place. Changes on physical, emotional, social and cognitive aspects
happen during this phase. In this time, children are likely to be shocked of the changes that may occur to
their body, mind and behavior, which can greatly affect their comprehension during legal proceedings,
thus influencing their statement. Suggests that children that are around nine years of age, are not fully
capable of handling legal matters and they are not fully suitable for attending such lawful transactions,
even with adult supervision. This could be a form of abuse to the child, and as a pursuant to the law, they
must be treated in a manner consistent with the promotion of the child’s dignity and worth, taking into
account the child’s age and desirability of promoting his/her reintegration.

In selected cases, children have become victims of trafficking and are forced to do what is believed
to be illegal. If children are punished because they were forced to do something unacceptable to the law,
doesn’t that mean that the justice system fails to track the real deal and instead, abuse the rights of the
children, which is to be protected? We should apply rehabilitation in these cases, not punishments. We
must look for a way to protect children from syndicates who use children for their selfish and irresponsible
deeds. We need to provide a restorative way of correcting their faults and should not be punitive.

Not all criminals are really criminals. Some were forced, while some were falsely accused. Children
are not exempted to the rightful correction in order to have accordance and integration with peace and
order. However, we should realize and recognize the vital role or importance of the youth in nation
building and we shall promote and protect the physical, emotional, mental, moral, spiritual, intellectual
and social well-being of our children. In conclusion, the age of 15 should not be changed to 9 years old as
the minimum age for criminal liability for it will only put the wellness of our children, and putting our
nation’s future and development to a ruination.

I state my case.