Youth Justice News
| Author | Tim Bateman |
| DOI | 10.1177/1473225417720610 |
| Published date | 01 August 2017 |
| Date | 01 August 2017 |
| Subject Matter | Youth Justice News |
https://doi.org/10.1177/1473225417720610
Youth Justice
2017, Vol. 17(2) 181 –192
© The Author(s) 2017
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DOI: 10.1177/1473225417720610
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Youth Justice News
Compiled by Tim Bateman
Legislative Amendment Seeks to Reduce the Minimum Age of
Criminal Responsibility in the Philippines from 15 Years of
Age to 9
In 2007, in a General Comment on youth justice, the UN Committee on the Rights of the
Child, the body which monitors states compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child, indicated that a minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) below 12
years was not acceptable. The current MACR in the Philippines sits well above that
threshold as a consequence of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act 2006 which raised the
age at which children can be held criminally liable from 9 to 15 years. However, a statu-
tory amendment currently before the House of Representatives seeks to return the MACR
to that which prevailed prior to 2006.
The explanatory note to House Bill Number 002 argues that while
The intent of the protection of the Filipino youth may be highly laudable, its effects have had
the opposite effect – the pampering of youthful offenders who commit crimes knowing they can
get away with it. Worse, adult criminals – individually and/ or in organized cabal – knowingly
and purposefully make use of youth below 15 years of age to commit crimes, such as drug
trafficking, aware that they cannot be held criminally liable.
Section 2 of the Bill confirms that the legislative proposals are designed to ensure that
children are
taught to accept responsibility for their words and deeds as early as possible, and not to unduly
pamper them with impunity from criminal responsibility [below the age of nine years].
According to CNN News, the Speaker of the House, Bebot Alvarez, indicated in
February 2017 that the proposals are not open to negotiation and are in accord with the
government’s policy on criminal justice reform.
Corresponding author:
Tim Bateman, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton LU1 3JU, UK.
Email: tim.bateman@beds.ac.uk
720610YJJ0010.1177/1473225417720610Youth JusticeBateman
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