Ngayong araw ay inaprubahan na ang House committee on justice ang panukala na ibaba sa siyam na taon ang maaaring managot sa batas kapag nakagawa ng krimen.
Kampante ang chairman ng komite na si Misamis Oriental Rep. Doy Leachon na maisasabatas ang panukala bago matapos ang 17th Congress lalo at prayoridad ito ng Malacanang.
Nilinaw din ni Leachon na hindi anti-poor at hindi ikukulong sa regular na kulungan ang mga bata kundi sa Bahay Pagasa.
“First, we are not putting these children in jail, but in reformative institutions to correct their ways and bring them back to the community. And second, they are not branded as criminals but children in conflict with law,” ani Leachon.
Kailangan namang sumailalim sa mandatory intervention program ang mga magulang at kung hindi ay maaari silang makulong ng 30 araw hanggang anim na buwan.
“If the children will be convicted, they will not be detained, they will not be mixed with other inmates. They will be put in agricultural camp under BuCor and TESDA,” ani Leachon. “For aged 9 years old up to 15 and who commits serious offenses, there will be mandatory confinement at Bahay Pag-Asa but the court after one-year of program intervention undertaken for the child in conflict with the law has to decide whether the child is fit to re-integrated with his family and community.”
Ang mga gagamit ng menor de edad sa paggawa ng krimen ay parurusahan ng hanggang habambuhay na pagkakakulong depende sa ipinagawang krimen.