THE chief prosecutor of the cities of Navotas and Malabon is in favor of lowering the age for criminal liability.
At the Usapang Politika, Agrikultura at Komunidad media forum in Quezon City, Prosecutor Rennet Evangelista expressed his belief that many young children are now involved in various crimes.
“Yes, I support it,” he told reporters of the move of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who filed Senate Bill 2026 seeking to lower the criminal responsibility to 13 “to adapt to changing times.”
The current law exempts children 15 years old and younger from any criminal culpability.
According to Evangelista, because of the government’s war on drugs, there are 30 to 50 drug-related cases being filed at the inquest proceedings every month.
There are 700 to 800 drugs cases have been filed before various regional trial courts in Malabon and Navotas, he added.