DAVAO Act of Children’s Rights (DOACT) urged the government not to lower the criminal age of responsibility for it may not resolve the cases of children conflict with the law (CICL).
Jaziel Sinadjan, DOACT president, expressed worry during the Kapehan sa Dabaw press conference on November 26 over the proposal of Senate President Vicente Sotto III to lower the age of criminality to 13 years old.
He added that the senator's reason for proposing the law was because of the increasing number of criminal cases made by the children.
Sinadjan said if the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) will be lowered crime syndicates might take advantage of these children.
He pointed out that this is not a solution to resolve the problem with the CICLs. Sinadjan said children become CICLs because of poverty and have no parental guidance and support from the family.
Instead of lowering the MACR, Sinadjan recommends the strict implementation of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006 in the country.
DOACT is hoping that the government will be able to provice assistance or services on parenting in a bid to avoid children becoming CICLs. Sinadjan also said they are pushing for the training authorities on handling CICLs.
"Ang bata na naka commit og crime kay tungod sa iyang emotional aspect ug decision making so kinihanglan irestore sa iyang pagkabata, (A child may have committed the crime because of their emotional state and their decision making process. There is a need to restore their innocence)," he added.