Atty. Katherine Panguban of the Women and Children Committee of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers strongly opposed the proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years old.
She said such a move would be a major setback to the justice system, which should remain restorative and focused on the welfare of children.
Panguban explained that minors are often victims of poor guidance from adults, and it is the adults behind their actions who should be held accountable.
She stressed that the government should focus on proper guidance for children instead of punishing them for mistakes influenced by adults.
