Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Franco: Criminals getting younger By Rimaliza Opiña
THE newly appointed director of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) is clamoring for an amendment to the Juvenile Justice Law.
With many crimes committed by minors, Senior Superintendent Wilfredo Franco, director of the BCPO said he is in favor of proposals to amend a provision of the Juvenile Justice Act, which would lower the age of accountability of minors.
"With due respect to our lawmakers, the law should be reviewed," Franco said, adding: "many law enforcers in the country share the same sentiment."
Franco said while the law aims at rehabilitating minors who committed crimes, rehabilitation facilities in the country are not sufficient to cope with what the law dictates.
Certain provisions of the law provide that youth offenders must not stay in jail and mingle with other inmates, but should be housed instead in a center conducive to learning and rehabilitation. Regular counseling by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should also be done.
The City Council earlier passed a resolution supporting amendments to the law. In particular, councilors said criminal liability should be lowered to 12 instead of 15, as contained in the law.
The group, which pushed for the passage of the law last year, asked the council to reconsider its stand, saying instead of punishing youth offenders, the community should help in molding them into responsible and law abiding citizens.
Baguio City Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas and dean of the University of the Baguio (UB) College of Law and Councilor Richard Cariño, a practicing lawyer, have been very vocal that even minor offenders should undergo trial in courts.
In the Cordillera, one of the controversial test cases of the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Law or Republic Act (RA) 9344, was the arrest of the 11 backpackers, who were accused of torching a military detachment in Mankayan, Benguet.
The incident occurred in February 2006. Of the 11, two have been released after it was proven that they were minors.
The case was dismissed but the Philippine National Police (PNP), then headed by Chief Superintendent Raul Gonzales, reiterated that the backpackers committed a crime, including the two minors.
