“Children in conflict with the law should not be perceived as
criminals because they are victims, victims who should be helped to
correct his/her mistakes.” — Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concern
By
ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – In late 2008, Arnold (not his real name), then 17, was on
his way home from a birthday party when a police mobile stopped in front
of him. The policemen stepped out of the vehicle and arrested him. A
woman inside the police mobile accused him of robbery. He was detained
at Quezon City Police Station 6 together with other adult prisoners.
“I was detained for five days. Inside the jail, I was beaten up by
other prisoners,” Arnold, now 20 years old, told Bulatlat.com in an
interview. Although nothing was recovered from him by the police, he
was still imprisoned. He was considered as one of the thousands of
children in conflict with the law (CICL).
Arnold’s experience inside the jail is the main reason why children’s
rights advocates are up in arms against the call to amend Republic Act
9344 or the “Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006”. Children’s
rights advocates said that lowering the age discernment and suspension
of the law will not solve the problem.
“It is absurd to judge the law as a failure when in fact it has not
been implemented as it should be,” said Melissa San Miguel, spokeswoman
of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concern. “We are dismayed that one
of the more progressive laws concerning the welfare of children is now
being considered for amendments or even suspension,” San Miguel added.
(Photo courtesy of Salinlahi / Bulatlat.com)
The Philippine Action for Youth Offenders (Payo) cited a 1997 study
conducted by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) in 1997 showing
that the age of discernment of in-school Filipino children is 15 years
old.
Payo’s study conducted in 2002, meanwhile, revealed that the age of
discernment of out-of-school Filipino children is 18 years old. In
their position paper, Payo said that said studies were the basis for
setting of the age of criminal responsibility in RA 9344 to 15 years
old.
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Source: Bulatlat.com
URL:
http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/11/04/lowering-age-discernment-wont-solve-juvenile-delinquency-childrens-rights-groups/