REPRESENTATIVE Mercedes Alvarez (sixth district) confirmed that the bicameral for the amendment of Juvenile Justice Welfare Act has reached an agreement already last Tuesday.
Alvarez headed the lower house panel while Senator Chiz Escudero headed the Senate Panel.
Alvarez said that the bicameral committee didn't lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility but if children ages above 12 years old to below 15 years old and commits the crimes like parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, catnapping where the driver or the occupant is killed or raped, and acts punishable by imprisonment of 12 years of more under the Dangerous Drugs Act shall be mandatory be placed in a special facility within the "Bahay Pag-Asa" called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center.
The mandatory confine net is through the filing of a petition from the local Department of Social and Welfare Development for involuntary commitment and placement under Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center at a court 24 hours of commission of the offense. The court will decide within 72 hours and shall determine the initial period of placement which should not be less than one year.
Alvarez said that the bicameral also inserted a provision for respite on the offenses wherein a child above 12 years old to below 15 years old who commits an offense for the second time or often and has previously undergone a community-based intervention program shall be deemed a neglected child under Presidential Decree No. 603 and shall undergo a more intensive intervention program.
Any person who exploits children for commission of crimes will be liable and the penalty in its maximum period will be imposed.
There is also a provision for joint parental response where parents will undergo counseling and may be liable for damages unless they prove in court that they were exercising reasonable supervision over the child and exerted reasonable effort and utmost diligence to prevent or discourage the child from committing another offense.
A provision on assistance to victims of offenses committed by the children is also provided.
The establishment of a Bahay Pag-Asa according to Alvarez is also new. Each province and HUC shall establish one within their jurisdiction and that included in the consolidated bill is a provision for a counterpart budget from the national government.
Provisions on children above 15 and below 18 will still be the same, Alvarez further bared.