The Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed support for proposals to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 to 12, citing rising involvement of minors in criminal activities.
PNP official Co said law enforcement continues to encounter cases involving juveniles, including a suspect as young as nine years old, though he clarified the incident was not comparable in severity to recent violent cases in Tacloban City and Cavite.
He stressed that any proposal to lower the age threshold should still consider the principle of “acting with discernment,” ensuring that minors are not automatically held criminally liable without proper evaluation of intent and understanding.
“Titingnan din po kung may acting with discernment… hindi mo naman arbitrarily isasama sila,” Co said, noting that authorities must first establish whether the minor understood the consequences of their actions.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration views 12 years old as a “reasonable” benchmark, while clarifying that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not taken a firm position on a specific age threshold.
She added that the President is open to reviewing whatever version of the measure Congress may pass, as part of ongoing legislative deliberations on juvenile justice reform.