Reforms in juvenile justice system urged

The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) seeks reforms in the juvenile justice system so that the average 20,000 Filipino minors involved in juvenile crimes annually do not grow up to be full-fledged criminals.

Instead of imprisonment for youth offenders, the Philippine justice system should focus on rehabilitation to protect the delinquent’s welfare, said lawyer Alberto Muyot, project officer of Unicef’s Juvenile Justice project.

"Jail is no place for a child. The Philippine justice system should be more humane and efficient, especially in dealing with juvenile offenders," he noted.

The Unicef, along with the Philippine Press Council, organized yesterday its First Editor‘s Forum aimed at "putting juvenile justice in the news." The two agencies strongly support the passage of Senate Bill 2625 that seeks to organize an "Office of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention" in the country. It was authored by administration Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

Muyot added that the bill proposes to raise the age of criminal liability from nine to 12 years old, prohibits detention of children with adults, redirects cases of petty or victimless crimes from court to a diversion program and develops a comprehensive juvenile delinquency prevention program.

He said they believe petty crimes do not warrant imprisonment but rehabilitation. Seven out of 10 minors who are brought to jail committed only petty theft, vagrancy, or sniffed rugby. "We hope that the bill, when it is refiled by Senator Pangilinan, would be passed soon. We ask the help of the media in this regard because Congress, as we have observed, reacts only on bills highlighted by the media," Muyot said.