Criminals getting younger by the day

BY ISMAEL AMIGO

 OUR National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, must be turning in his grave right now.

He has all the reason to do so because some of the youth he called as "future of the nation" are turning into criminals, no thanks to the Juvenile Justice System Act of 2006.

Criminals are getting younger and younger by the day since the law that exempts minors 15-years old and younger from criminal liability, and allows punishment for those 15 to 18 if proven they acted “with discernment” was passed in 2006.

Why? The law has been taken advantages by some criminal groups or gangs by employing minors to do their bidding, leading to the growing number of crimes committed by juveniles.

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Recently, the Senate said it is planning to suspend implementation of the Juvenile Justice Law, for lack of rehabilitation facilities for youthful offenders.

Sen. Francis Escudero said the Senate shall suspend the law until such time that the necessary rehabilitation centers for these children are established.

Escudero’s amendment of the juvenile justice law shall be discussed when the Senate plenary session starts on May 9.

Escudero said juvenile delinquents cannot be detained in municipal jails alongside hardened criminals as it would mean that authorities can be charged with both administrative and criminal charges.

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But for me, lawmakers should focus on the bill filed by Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Trenas seeking to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 to 12 years of age. 

Trenas is alarmed at the growing incidence of crimes committed by minors, many of them recruited by crime syndicates.

Treñas said House Bill 3815 seeks to protect Filipino youth used as “pawns” by criminals.

The bill imposes “criminal penalties upon offenders belonging to a criminal juvenile organization aged 12 and above who acted with discernment, any person involved in any criminal juvenile organization that tolerates any criminal act as part of its authorized activities or initiation (rites), and on parents or guardians of a child commanded, encouraged or allowed to participate in any criminal act.”

Treñas said his bill would also punish persons who encourage youngsters to join gangs, including their parents.