Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said on Friday that the police force supports a bill seeking to lower the age of criminal liability — but only if it is backed by solid scientific evidence.
“Actually, this is a hot topic now. The PNP will give its formal stand on this in a written paper. This is one of our legislative agenda that we will give to our Congress so that we can have a voice if the law regarding juveniles is revised,” Torre told reporters after a command conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
He emphasized that while the PNP backs the lowering of the age of discernment, policymakers must first examine scientific data on child development.
“We do support the lowering of the age of discernment but it should be based on scientific evidence. There are studies that we should consider whether the current age limits are still applicable or whether children’s awareness has become too high due to their access to information,” Torre said.
The police chief stressed that lawmakers must revisit the scientific foundations of Republic Act 9344, also known as the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.
“While we support the lowering of the age, there are still scientific studies that we should consider and we leave it to our legislators to make their final decision regarding that matter,” he added.
UNICEF Philippines maintains that brain function reaches maturity at around 16 years old, directly affecting a child’s reasoning and impulse control.
Still, proponents of the measure argue that children as young as nine are already criminally mature and capable of discernment. The House of Representatives has previously pushed for amendments that would reduce the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 — or even 9.