POLICE Regional Office-Central Visayas Director Debold Sinas said he supports the bill of Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III seeking to lower the criminal liability to 13.
He said Sotto's move is good for crime prevention.
"Kining 15, 16, 17 (years old) naa na man nay hustong panghunahuna ba," Sinas said.
The police official added that several minors have been used by criminal groups in illegal activities.
"Kanang mga under 18, mao nay couriers, mao nay spotters. Kon madakpan namo na, dili dayon namo makasuhan. Puyde namo makasuhan, pero i-turn over namo sa DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development)," he said.
Sinas said there were minors rescued in Barangay Tangke, Talisay City, during anti-illegal drugs in the past months.
For his part, Sotto said he filed Bill 2026 as the criminal syndicates are abusing the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9344 (the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006) by using minors to commit crimes.
RA 9344 exempts children 15 years old and below from criminal liability.
Under Sotto's Bill 2026, if the children who committed serious crimes such as parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and homicide are above nine years old up to 12 years old, they shall be considered "neglected children" under Presidential Decree 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code.
The children will be placed in a special facility for the youth, which is the Bahay Pag-asa. (KAL)