Lawmaker prods House to pass juvenile justice bill

Children languishing in prison need justice now.

With this in mind, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan urged members of the House of Representatives to prioritize next year the passage of the Juvenile Justice Bill, placing the measure’s urgency right next to the 2006 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

"Next to the 2006 budget, we urge that the Juvenile Justice Bill be passed in the House," Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan’s bill is a landmark measure meant to address the plight of thousands of juvenile delinquents who are incarcerated along with hardened criminals in jails and penitentiaries nationwide.

The measure was approved on third and final reading by the Senate early this month before Congress went on its traditional Christmas break.

Pangilinan said the passage of the Juvenile Justice Bill is crucial to the welfare of thousands of children detained with adult lawbreakers: "These children are experiencing the horrid conditions of incarceration. Some of them have died, while others are dying. The bill’s passage today gives children in jail the hope and a lease for a better future."

Efforts to create a comprehensive juvenile justice system started as early as the Ninth Congress, though legislation to protect juvenile offenders has not made much progress since then.

Pangilinan’s involvement in the Juvenile Justice Bill began in the 12th Congress, when he authored and sponsored the measure during his tenure as chairman of the Senate justice committee.

He was able to secure committee approval for the measure, which has since been debated on the Senate floor. Lack of time, however, has prevented the enactment of the measure in the last Congress. Pangilinan continued his advocacy and finally saw the Senate’s approval of the measure in the 13th Congress.

The Juvenile Justice Bill is based on the concept of "restorative justice," a process that requires the resolution of conflicts with maximum involvement from the victim and the reconciliation of the offender with the community.

Pangilinan said the bill also seeks to obtain reparation for the victim, the reconciliation of the offender, the offended and the community and reassurance from the offender that he or she can be reintegrated into society. — Christina Mendez