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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Criminals using children deserve the “worst” punishments, National Youth Commission (NYC) chairperson Cariza “Aiza” Seguerra said.
Whatever penalty currently being imposed on such criminals are not enough, she stressed.
“Sana [sa] crimes [kung saan] ginagamit ang bata,sana mas dumoble ang pataw na parusa sa mga matatanda na gumagamit sa kanila,” she said.
Seguerra was in the city yesterday for a regional consultation on the Philippine Youth Development Plan (PYDP) 2017–2022.
The NYC chairperson was commenting ona measure filed in the House of Representatives seeking a lower minimum age for criminal liability.
The abused children’s own family and relatives should not be spared, she said.
“Iyong mga magulang, tito, tita, mga matanda sa kanila, I think they deserve worst punishments because, at the end of the day,sila iyong dapat nag-ga-guide sa mga kabataan,” said the singer-actress.
But Seguerra clarified her stand is personal and does not reflect that of the youth commission.
“Sana maisipan nila(Congress) na i-explore din iyong pagpataw ng mas harsh na punishment doon sa matatanda na ginagamit ang mga bata,” she reiterated.
In July, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Rep. Fredenil Castro (Capiz, 2nd District) in July filed a bill lowering the minimum age for criminal liability to nine years old.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which set the current minimum age for criminal liability at 15 years old.
“Adult criminals — individually and/or in organized cabal — knowingly and purposely make use of youths below 15 years old to commit crimes, such as drug trafficking, aware that they cannot be held criminally liable,” the representatives said in a statement.
“Ang fear ko ay kapag ang kabataan ay mabigyan ng stigma na criminal sila (I fear that children used in committing crimes would have to bear the stigma associated with illegal acts),” said Seguerra.
Seguerra was appointed NYC chairperson in August. She will serve for three years.
A supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, she vowed to use arts and culture to engage the Filipino youth.
“Arts and culture malaking tulong iyon para mabalik ang nasyonalismo ng ating kabataan,” a report on a national newspaper’s website quoted her as saying.
Seguerra also wants to address illegal drug use among the youths, teenage pregnancy and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The NYC is under the Office of the President. It was established in 1995./PN
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