The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) lambasts Senator Robin Padilla’s latest proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 10 years old, calling it a deeply misguided attempt to solve systemic problems through punitive measures.


“We wonder what Sen. Padilla feels while writing this bill from his mansion,” said PAHRA Secretary-General Egay Cabalitan. “Iniisip rin namin kung naisip man lang ba niya na sistema ang problema, at hindi ito mareresolba ng mga batas niyang nakaugat sa parusa.”


PAHRA stressed that criminality among youth is a symptom of deeper societal failures, not a cause. They pointed out how poverty, not childhood misbehavior, is the real root of crime. “Criminality is rooted in poverty, which is in turn linked to issues like inflation, low wages, joblessness, and the education crisis. Mga problemang may magagawa sila kung gugustuhin nila, kaysa sa ibaba ang edad ng pananagutan.”


“Hindi namin alam kung ‘mema-pasa’ lang ba itong si Robin, eh,” Cabalitan added. “Senator, hindi sagot sa kriminalidad ang pagbaba sa edad ng criminal liability. Kahirapan ang puno’t dulo nitong lahat at hindi ang mga kabataan. Grabe kung patagalin ang impeachment trial ni VP Sara, pero pagpaparusa sa bata, atat na atat.”


PAHRA urges the rest of the 20th Congress to reject this bill and instead craft policies that address the root causes of crime and prioritize children’s rights, protection, and rehabilitation.