A lawmaker on Wednesday expressed opposition on the move to amend the 81-year-old Penal Code particularly the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability to 13 years old saying the proposal may be off target.
Sen. Nancy Binay was reacting to the proposals to repeal Book I of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and replace it with a new criminal code, which will include provisions to lower the minimum age of criminal liability (MACL) to 13 years old. “We are definitely missing the point regarding this issue. Even though we are serious in stopping juvenile crime, lowering the age of criminal responsibility may not be the best way to save children who have gone astray,” Binay pointed out. Binay said that instead of targeting children, congress should come up with laws that will effectively go after syndicates and gangs using children in the operating their crimes.
Continue reading with one of these options:
Ad-free access
P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
- Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
- Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)