Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has voiced strong support for a measure that seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 17 to 10 years old, saying the current law is being exploited by syndicates and even young offenders themselves.
The move comes after Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla filed Senate Bill No. 372, which aims to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (Republic Act No. 9344). Padilla argued that many minors involved in serious crimes manage to avoid punishment because of the existing law.
Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, recalled how syndicates have long taken advantage of children to carry out illegal activities.
“When I was a police officer, when the law was first enacted, crimes involving children increased and when we studied it, children were being used by syndicates,” he said during his interpellation on Padilla’s bill.
He recounted cases where minors were tasked to deliver drugs hidden in cakes to escape suspicion. He added that syndicates often deploy children to commit robberies, knowing they could evade arrest under current rules.
“They are ready to use this law, as a shield and claim they are still a minor,” he stressed.
According to Dela Rosa, the situation has worsened over the years. While children were once mainly being used by syndicates, he warned that some minors are now capable of forming their own criminal groups.
“I think it’s about time we examine it again, we revisit this law because before, the children were used by the syndicate. But now, the children themselves are the syndicate,” he said.
The proposed amendment is expected to spark heated debate in the Senate as lawmakers weigh the balance between child protection and public safety.
