PDP-Laban Rep. Pantaleon D. Alvarez of Davao del Norte, who is touted to be the next Speaker, has vowed to pass bills seeking the restoration of the death penalty and reducing the age of criminal liability of juvenile offenders from 15 to 9 years old within the year.
Alvarez said these measures are now ready for deliberations when the 17th Congress starts session on Monday.
“The House will try to pass all these [President] Duterte and 17th Congress priority bills within a year,” Alvarez said.
He said the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes and the mode of its implementation, both subjects of repealed laws, are crucial components of an effective dispensation of both reformative and retributive justice.
Alvarez is the author of the bill seeking to restore the penalty of death for certain heinous crimes, such as plunder, trafficking in illegal drugs and carjacking.
“The national crime rate has grown to such alarming proportions requiring an all-out offensive against all forms of felonious acts. The Philippines society is left with no option but to deal with certain grievous offenders in a manner commensurate to the gravity, perversity, atrociousness and repugnance of their crimes,” the lawmaker said.
Also, Alvarez said the measure seeking to amend Republic Act (RA) 9344, or the Juvenile Delinquency Act of 2006, or the “Pangilinan law,” should be passed.
RA 9344 raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 15 years old.
Alvarez said the choice of 9 years as the minimum age of criminal responsibility under the Revised Penal Code was infused with wisdom, saying, “Most children above this age, especially in these times when all forms and manner of knowledge are available through the Internet and digital media, are already fully informed and should be taught that they are responsible for what they say and do.”
Under the bill, “a child 9 years of age and above, but below 18 of age, shall, likewise, be exempt from criminal liability and subjected to an intervention program, unless he or she is determined to have acted with discernment, in which case he or she shall be subjected to appropriate proceedings in accordance with this act.”
The lawmaker also said the joint resolutions for convening a Constitutional Convention (Con-con) that will amend the Constitution to pave the way for a shift from the unitary to a federal system of government is included to its priority measures.
Alvarez added that among the reasons for amending the Constitution is to “make the form of government more responsive to the needs of the nation.”
Based on the Alvarez’s resolution calling for the convening of a Con-con, “the best mode of revising the 1987 Constitution is through a Constitutional Convention, wherein the delegates who will propose revisions are regionally elected for that purpose. This process shall ensure that the people-at-large, from the very outset, shall be part of the changes that will be introduced for the fundamental structure of our society.”
Support
MEANWHILE, several neophyte lawmakers have backed the legislative agenda of President Duterte and the 17th Congress.
During the recent neophyte lawmakers’ fellowship dinner, Nacionalista Party Rep. Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said 104 neophyte lawmakers are determined to help improve the image of the House of Representatives, where lack of quorum remained a major problem in the 16th Congress.
“Right now, we can unite with a common agenda, especially the neophytes to uplift the image of the House of Representatives. We should be more active in our attendance and very participatory in the committee hearings,” Villafuerte said.
“Despite being neophyte, I think everybody can agree that we are really fully committed in crafting pro-poor legislation to improve the life of our constituents. I’m sure we can all safely say that we will fight for our vision in improving the image of Congress as an institution,” he added.
The lawmaker, however, said they assure their respective constituents that all bills and resolutions up for approval in the 17th Congress would go through constructive debates and meaningful deliberations prior to their enactment into laws.
For his part, Alvarez, also a first-term being a returning congressman, said that his colleagues should religiously attend congressional sessions and committee deliberations on the proposed important pieces of legislation.
“Kailangan talaga mag-attend tayo ng session at committee hearings, huwag n’yo pong sayangin ang panahon ninyo na hindi kayo nag-a-attend ng session at committee hearings, marami kayong matututnan dito at tungkulin po natin ito sa bayan at sa ating constituents,” Alvarez said.
1 comment
I disagree. Do not lower liability however, strengthen intervention setups and systems.
children caught will be delivered and placed in institutions for kids, and depending upon the extent of their participation to the crime, and the crime committed, the judge will render reasonable and sound judgment based on the objective study of a psychologist, and community workers. From their, the Judge will strongly accept the recommendation of the community, and social worker as to the appropriate program befitting the child.. And the child will continue to be in the program and care of the intervention program until such time that the judgment rendered by the court have been lapsed. Such judgment will strongly be influenced by the decision of a psychologist, social worker, and community worker. Therefore, a child committing theft and is known as a repeat offender, shall be taken of the streets, and may be subjected to 10-15 years intervention, depending on the crime committed, his participation, and the recommendation of the social, and community workers. the kid will not have any criminal liability but he will not be returned to the care of his parents nor any parental visits will be accorded until such time as the recommendation of a community worker and social worker warrants it.
I think, in my opinion, this is a more reasonable approach than having the child branded as a criminal.