Libre: A picture of innocence

LAST week while we were busier than usual due to the approaching scheduled exams and division monitoring, we were informed about students breaking the restroom tiles and attempting to detach one of the CCTV cameras installed in the school. Although, there wasn’t much damage to the CCTV camera than to the floor tiles, this was a very clear violation of one of the school rules. This incident brought me back to the proposition of lowering the age of criminal liability. I have shared my thoughts on this matter on social media six months ago, I am sharing this again now.

Lowering the criminal liability in the Philippines is applicable to this generation. Kids today know too much, and the best sign of their ability and tendency to use their knowledge to commit a crime may be determined by their level of innocence. I believe that an innocent child should clearly be innocent from the crime committed. However, young people whose age is lower than 18 in this generation are not as innocent as how they look, and I think the following are factors to ponder on just how innocent our young are:

1. An innocent kid does not go out late at night like the adults do because they are afraid of the dark or of aswangs, ungo, multo, Maria Labo, and Kulto.

2. An innocent kid listens to his parents as a sign of respect and acknowledgement of authority even if he hates them for reprimanding him because he doesn’t know the rules that’s protecting him.

3. An innocent kid doesn’t watch television shows which depict violence and sleeps earlier because all he knows is that shows late at night aren’t for young kids.

4. An innocent child doesn’t smoke or drink in public as they still don’t know how to handle being intoxicated.

5. An innocent child doesn’t show or (at least avoid) mentioning, posting, or even publicly discussing things that are sexually suggestive (particularly girls). Or at least, they avoid being noticed about that matter. (Check your news feeds ladies and gents and think about what hidden messages those memes/photos or statuses bear.)

6. An innocent child does not, and as long as he can avoid getting involved, will not commit a crime because he is simply afraid to get punished.

I am not a psychologist, but I think those are only a few signs signifying the level of a child’s innocence. If those 6 are not evidently observed then he/she is old enough to be liable of his actions.

The government should replace the term “jail” to “institution” for those convicted young in order to lessen the negative connotation.

What good does putting the young violators of the law in an institution? Young violators can be rehabilitated, whether they like it or not. There is no escaping, unlike what usually happens in a DSWD center. It will also curb criminality involving the youth.

Above all, the youth should understand that we are all responsible and accountable for our actions.

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