January 21, 2019 – The House Committee on Justice (overwhelmingly) approved the

First Reading of the bill which would lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15
years old to 9 years old. https://www.rappler.com/nation/221497-house-panel-approves-
bill-lowering-minimum-age-criminal-responsibility-january-21-2019

Bill’s highlight: Children from 9 years old to below 15 years old, and who
committed the serious offenses of murder, parricide, infanticide, serious illegal
detention, carnapping, and violation of the dangerous drugs law would be
brought to Bahay Pag-asa for rehabilitation.
http://congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/third_17/HBT8858.pdf

This bill would amend Republic Act (RA) 10630 which amended RA 9344 or the
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, the bill that sets the criminal
responsibility at 15 years old.

SEC. 3. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9344 is hereby amended to read as

follows:

“SEC. 6. Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility. – A child fifteen (15) years of

age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from
criminal liability. However, the child shall be subjected to an intervention program
pursuant to Section 20 of this Act.

“A child is deemed to be fifteen (15) years of age on the day of the fifteenth
anniversary of his/her birthdate.

“A child above fifteen (15) years but below eighteen (18) years of age shall
likewise be exempt from criminal liability and be subjected to an intervention
program, unless he/she has acted with discernment, in which case, such child
shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act.

“The exemption from criminal liability herein established does not include
exemption from civil liability, which shall be enforced in accordance with existing
laws.” https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/10/03/republic-act-no-10630/

January 23, 2019 – Before the votes of ayes and nays, the House Bill (HB) 8858’s
provision on “criminal responsibility” was changed to “social responsibility” and the
controversial age provision to lower the minimum age to 9 years old was changed to 12
years old. The Second Reading was then approved.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/221728-house-2nd-reading-lowering-minimum-age-
criminal-responsibility

January 28, 2019 – Just 5 days after the Second Reading, the House Bill on its Third
and Final Reading was approved at the lower house.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/222073-house-3rd-reading-lowering-minimum-age-
criminal-responsibility

The counterpart Senate bill only reached the plenary debates up until the 17 th Congress
ended on June 7, 2019. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/06/03/1923321/un-
lauds-juvenile-justice-law-reiterates-call-vs-lower-macr

July 1, 2019 – Senator Vicente Sotto III refiled the bill lowering the age of criminal
liability under Senate Bill No. 5. https://www.rappler.com/nation/234340-sotto-refiles-bill-
lowering-age-criminal-responsibility-18th-congress