CHILDREN'S rights advocates staged a march protest from Fuente Osmeña Circle to Gaisano Metro on Monday to denounce Congress recent move of lowering the minimum age of criminal liability.
Atty. Joan Saniel Ampit of the Children's Legal Bureau said that this is a simultaneous protest also done outside the premises of the Senate in Manila.
“Atong ipakita sa mga senators nga oppose ta sa move nga lowering the minimum age of criminal liability kay karong alas tres naay session ang Senate and expectedly, nga ilang i-discuss ang kani nga bill," she said.
Members of the Children's NGO Network, Children's Legal Bureau, Gabriela, Sanlakas, Pagtambayayong, and other civil society groups joined the protest.
On January 28, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the bill lowering of the age of criminality to 12 from the current 15 years old.
The Senate is expected to tackle its own version of the bill.
CLB, and several other groups in Cebu, opposed the bill citing the age of 12 is below the acceptable international standards.
CLB emphasized that the children in conflict with the law are victims.
Child rights advocates believed that the proposed measure will not deter the exploitation by criminal syndicates. (Wenilyn Sabalo/USJ-R Intern)