MANILA, Philippines — Instead of lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility, the government should improve the implementation of the existing juvenile law. The United Nations Children's Fund stressed this point Thursday, expressing strong opposition to the proposal of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years old from the current 15. UNICEF called the senator’s proposal a “giant leap backward.”“To brand children as criminals removes the responsibility and accountability from adults who have failed them. These ages are too young and exposing them to the harshness of the criminal justice system, where even adults are rightly intimidated, is a grave wrongdoing,” the body said. Child Rights International Network earlier said Sotto’s proposal will only draw more children into the criminal justice system instead of addressing the issue.

Source: Philippine Star September 27, 2018 10:13 UTC