DAVAO CITY (February 9) — President Rodrigo Duterte said he is comfortable to lower the age of criminal liability to 12-years-old, stressing that it was the original law before it was amended.
In the recent pronouncement, Duterte emphasized “I’m comfortable with it. As long as they — above 12 below 16, ‘yung indeterminate sentence doon ang papasok lang, okay na ako.”
Duterte stressed lowering the age liability will mean, parents must be held liable to the acts of their children, and that both parents and children would be conscious about criminal accountability at an early age.
“Ganung edad pa lang, inano, pukpukin na because they will be ultimately responsible. Sila ‘yung tatamaan eh,” he explained.
“Any violation of law ng bata ngayon at nagkulang ‘yung supervision and vigilance ng parents, sila ang idedemanda,” he continued.
While Duterte is comfortable with the age limit, his critics are opposing the idea which is now being subjected to a debate at the Senate.
The lowering of age liability bill was approved on second reading last week but it hangs as the session adjourns in preparation for the midterm elections in May.-ezc
