THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has visited the three minors suspected in the brutal killing of University of the Philippines (UP) student Sophia Marie Coquilla, as authorities continue their investigation and have yet to release additional details on the case.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Deles, acting chief of Tagum City Police Station, confirmed in a media interview on Thursday, July 17, 2025 that the human rights body checked on the condition of the minors currently in police custody to ensure their rights are being upheld.
“Part man pud na sa ilahang mandate, siguro as humanity, ilang gitan-aw pud ang welfare sa mga minor de edad kung na-violate ba (Part of their mandate as well, I think, is to look at the situation from a humanitarian perspective [and] to check on the welfare of the minors and see if any of their rights have been violated), the official said, clarifying that they have been following the rules as stipulated in Philippine human rights law.
The minor suspects, aged 14, 15, and 17, remain detained at the Tagum City Police Station. They are being handled in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, which provides protection and due process for children in conflict with the law.
Among the suspects, the 14-year-old will not face criminal charges due to age limitations set by Republic Act No. 9344, which sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility at 15. This was confirmed by Police Major Anjanette Tirador, spokesperson of the Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office (DDNPPO), during a July 14 press briefing.
Tirador said that while the minor cannot be held criminally liable, authorities are working within legal frameworks to ensure justice is still served.
“There is no criminal liability, as stated in the law’s implementing rules and regulations,” she said, adding that proper interventions and case procedures are being coordinated.
Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, was authored by former Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and signed into law by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It mandates rehabilitation and intervention programs rather than punitive action for minors below the age threshold.
The two other suspects, aged 15 and 17, along with the fourth suspect, known as “Royroy” who is of legal age and believed to be the group’s leader, will be facing charges of robbery with homicide.
Authorities are also in the process of requesting a court order to transfer the minors to the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY), a DSWD-managed facility, while the case proceeds.
Coquilla, a 21-year-old UP Diliman student and alumna of Ateneo de Davao University Senior High School, was found dead on July 10 in her home in Barangay La Filipina with at least 38 stab wounds. The crime sparked outrage and calls for justice across social media and academic communities.
Following a swift manhunt, all four suspects were arrested in various parts of the Davao Region on July 12 during a joint hot-pursuit operation. Recovered from the suspects were several of Coquilla’s stolen belongings, including a laptop, iPad, iPhone, and watches. These have since been secured as evidence by the General Investigation Section.
Sophia Coquilla was laid to rest on July 15 in her hometown of Tagum City. DEF