Party-list group Akap Bata opposes moves to lower children’s age of criminal liability

InterAksyon.com reports that the party-list group Akap Bata has expressed its opposition to the plans being made in Congress to lower the age of discernment and criminal liability for children.

The report quoted Akap Bata spokesperson Arlene Brosas as saying on Sunday that the amendments to Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act "will only worsen the problem of children in conflict of the law." Brosas made the statement "following the approval of the Bicameral Committeee Report" introducing the amendments to RA 9344.

The proposed changes to the law include putting the age of discernment "at above 12 but under 15 years of age and the age of criminal liability at above 15 but under 18." A child offender shall also "be presumed to have acted with discernment" if he is "charged is murder, parricide, homicide, kidnapping, rape, robbery, drug trafficking, or other offenses punishable by more than 12 years."

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