Tuesday, August 07, 2007 More groups seek RA 8344 repeal
DIFFERENT organizations and personalities support the call to repeal and modify the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, otherwise known as Republic Act 9344.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter president Briccio Boholst, in a radio dyLA interview, said the law is “not doing any good” to the campaign against criminality in the country.
Boholst wants the old law to be implemented again.
The old law stated that all minor offenders should be held for trial but the reading of the sentence against them should be suspended until they reached the legal age.
The IBP board, Boholst said, will convene tomorrow and is expected to issue an official statement on the issue.
Meanwhile, Associations of Barangay Councils president Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar expressed support to the move of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Acting Director Patrocinio Comendador who asked Sen. Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan to repeal or modify the law, which the latter sponsored.
Faelnar said the council is willing to pass a resolution expressing support.
Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Fortunato de Gracia, for his part, also believes the law should be “carefully studied.”
Adoption
Meanwhile, in an interview with reporters, Supt. Pablo Labra II, CCPO deputy director for operations, said he personally agrees with the appeal of First Lady Margot Osmeña, who wants minor offenders adopted.
“Makatabang tungod kay duna nay tawo mag-monitor sa activities sa mga bata,” (It will help because there will be people monitoring the child’s activities.) Labra said.
He, however, said there should be parameters in the adoption of minor offenders, depending on the extent of the crime committed.
Comendador, in a position paper, cited several reasons the CCPO sees the need to modify the new law.
This includes the crime statistics recorded by the city police that there were 600 cases involving minors, comprising a total crime volume of 62 percent. Five of these were considered heinous crimes.
“Such statistics alone offers a strong argument that there is a dire need to address the problem, otherwise, the efforts of the law enforcement agencies would be in vain,” the position paper said.
He also cited an instance where a minor was caught for drug pushing, and investigation later turned out that he was being used as a courier in the illegal drug trade or “by an organized crime group for their criminal activities.” (KNT/JST)
