BUTUAN CITY- As the lead in social protection, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga supports the call against lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR).
This was the advocacy popularized by the members of the Regional Juvenile Justice and Welfare Committee (RJJWC) chaired by the DSWD during the week-long observance of the 5th Juvenile Justice and Welfare Week on November 20-25, 2016.
Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli bared that this year’s theme which states “Rehab, Hindi Rehas: Itaguyod ang R.A.10630” is a call of the JJWC to oppose several bills filed in Congress that intends to amend the law and lower the MACR from 15 years old to nine (9) years old.
“We are now facing another challenging battle in pursuing our mandate and mission,” said Brigoli.
“Several bills were filed at the House of Representatives proposing to lower the MACR. We, at the DSWD and the RJJWC advocate for the full implementation of the law instead of amending the law again,” she added.
“Our children in conflict with the law (CICLs) need proper care and they should not be put in jails where they are exposed to abuses and influence of hardened criminals,” Brigoli quipped.###(Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)
