Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III has expressed support for proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility but stressed that any changes must be grounded on solid research.
At a press briefing in Camp Crame on Friday, Torre said, “We do support lowering the age of discernment. But that should be based on scientific evidence.” He explained that studies should first determine whether existing age limits remain appropriate, noting that children today are more exposed to information at an early age. “Perhaps, children’s consciousness is much higher now because of their access to information,” he added in Filipino.
The PNP has yet to identify a specific age threshold it would endorse, but Torre confirmed that the agency will present its formal stance in an agenda paper to Congress. “We leave it to our legislators what their final decision will be regarding that matter,” he said.
The discussion comes after Sen. Robin Padilla filed a bill seeking to amend Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10 years old for heinous crimes. Currently, the law sets the age at 15.
While the proposal has drawn support from some policymakers, child advocates remain opposed. The Child Rights Network (CRN) argued that the problem lies not with the age limit itself but with how the existing law is being implemented.
