Monday, July 30, 2007 Mayor: Congress that passed juvenile law 'stupid copycat' By Ben O. Tesiorna
"STUPID copycat" was how Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte described 13th Congress members who passed Republic Act 9344, otherwise known as the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.
The mayor could not say the same of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who signed the bill into law last year, saying her latest executive order for the release of all minors now in detention is correct "in the context of the law."
"She is just doing her duty," Duterte said of Arroyo's order.
The mayor is however not as understanding of Congress, which he blamed for all the troubles the new law is bringing to the local government units all over the country.
Duterte said it is obvious that the lawmakers have not done their homework when they passed the bill. He said the law was obviously copied by its proponents from an American legislation but without an in-depth study.
"Pagka-ugok gyud ninyo sa tinuod lang. Nganong nakalusot man ni sa kapin 200 nga members sa Congress. Sobra man gud mo kabilib aning mga put...ng Kano (You are so stupid. How could this have passed your approval when there are more than 200 of you in Congress? That's what you get for holding America in so high esteem)," Duterte said during his television program Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa Sunday.
The mayor said he already read the Juvenile Law, along with other books pertaining to Juvenile Justice, and saw that it does not provide any protection for victims of crimes perpetrated by minors.
Duterte said the law is more focused on the criminal and not on the victims.
"There is absolutely nothing to even equalize the agony of the victims," he said.
The mayor said the law also failed to provide mandatory appropriation for the facilities that will help children in conflict with the law (CICL) reform after the commission of crime.
"The LGUs are ill-prepared and inadequately prepared to face the challenges of the new Juvenile Justice Law," Duterte said.
Lucky for Dabawenyos, Duterte said, the City Government will be allotting P50 million for the construction of a reformatory facility in Marilog. He said the facility for CICL will have its own school as well as clinic and other amenities needed for rehabilitation.
Duterte said he is however worried for the CICL's in other LGUs who do not have enough money to spend for such a facility.
The mayor said he plans to read more about Juvenile Justice so he could go to Congress and show his former colleagues just how stupid they were when the passed the law which he said is a "recipe for a revolution."
Asked what advice he could give to the lawmakers with regards to RA 9344, Duterte said it would be best for them to go back to the 1935 Philippine Constitution and restore the original penal laws stipulated there.
