The head of Bacolod City’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) said she opposes the bill recently approved by a House of Representatives committee seeking to lower the age of criminal liability to nine years old.

In a recent radio interview, DSSD head Pacita Tero said, if the criminal cases involving minors are studied, most of those who committed the crime are victims of circumstances and abuse.

She added, if parents themselves are engaging in illegal activities such as drugs, there is a possibility their children will also follow in their footsteps.

The DSSD official suggested, instead of lowering the age of criminal liability, there should be a law penalizing the parents of the minors or individuals using minors to commit crimes.

She also called on parents to be more responsible in taking care of their children in order to prevent them from engaging in criminal activity.

Last Monday, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice approved the bill that would lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 years old to nine years old.

The panel approved a substitute bill that would amend RA 10630, a law which amended RA 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

Earlier this week, after a pregnant teenager was arrested in Bacolod City’s Barangay 2 for illegal drugs possession, Police Station 2 commander, Police Senior Inspector Leo Estopa, said he  believes minors are being used as “runners” by drug dealers as it is assumed police would not arrest minors.

The said minor was eventually turned over the city’s Social Development Center./DGB, WDJ