An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s attached agency explained on Thursday (December 12) the proper procedures in handling cases involving children in conflict with the law (CICLs).
Atty. Tricia Clare Oco, executive director of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) told reporters at the DSWD’s Thursday Media Forum on December 12 that CICLs will still have accountability for their offenses following the procedures prescribed under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 9344 as amended by RA No. 10630 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA).
“Nagkaroon sila ng maling understanding doon sa batas, dahil akala nila yung mga bata walang accountability doon at akala nung mga nang-aabuso na pag ginamit nila yung mga bata, hindi rin sila pwedeng file-an ng criminal case. Ang pagkakaiba lang pag bata ang finile-an mo ng criminal case o kung below 15 siya, iba lang yung proseso pero mayroong pa rin silang accountability,” Atty. Oco explained in the Media Forum held weekly at the DSWD Central Office’s New Press Center.
According to the JJWC’s executive director, the law establishes a Comprehensive National Juvenile Intervention Program (CNJIP) which promotes a whole-of-government approach to protect and promote the rights and welfare of CICLs and children-at-risk (CARs).
The JJWC also puts in place a comprehensive and child-sensitive procedure to rehabilitate CICLs under a restorative justice and welfare system.
“Ang pinaka-purpose ng batas, dapat walang bata na nagkakaroon ng pagkakamali o kung nagkamali man ay dapat nare-rehabilitate,” Atty. Oco said in the Media Forum.
For children above 12 years old (and 15 years old and below) who committed serious offenses, they will be placed in the Bahay Pag-Asa (BPA) which is managed and operated by local government units (LGUs).
The children in conflict with the law (CICL) will undergo an intensive juvenile intervention program through the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC), a special feature of Bahay Pag-Asa.
For children above 15 but below 18 years old at the time of the commission of the offense, the Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs) will assess whether or not the CICL has acted with discernment.
If the child is found to have acted with discernment and the imposable penalty of the offense is more than 12 years of imprisonment, a case may be filed against the child in court. If the penalty is not more than six (6) years of imprisonment, a case may be filed against the child at the police level.
Diversion is an alternative, child-sensitive process of determining the responsibility of the child in conflict with the law without resorting to formal court proceedings.
The procedure can be implemented at the levels of Katarungang Pambarangay, the Police, and Prosecutor. If the penalty is more than six (6) years but not more than 12 years, the diversion will be at the Court level.
Atty. Oco said the efforts of the JJWC to support BPAs through the Support to Bahay Pag-Asa Project. The project aims to provide augmentation and assistance to BPA facilities to improve their operational capacity, services, and resources to effectively respond to the needs of admitted CICLs.
To date, 115 BPAs are operational with 25 of these already accredited by the DSWD. # (AKDL)
Tagalog Version
JJWC, isang DSWD attached agency, nilinaw ang tamang paghawak ng kaso sa mga CICL
Ipinaliwanag ng isang opisyal ng Juvenile Justice and Welfare (JJWC), attached agency ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na may pananagutan pa rin ang isang bata na nagkasala at lumabag sa batas.
Ito ang nilinaw ni Atty. Tricia Clare Oco, executive director of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), kung saan sinabi nitong ang mga batang itinuturing na children in conflict with the law (CICLs) ay kailangan pa ring panagutan ang pagkakasala na ginawa nito batay sa mga probisyon na nakasaad sa Republic Act (RA) No. 9344 as amended by RA No. 10630 o ang Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA).
Sa ginanap na Media Forum sa New Press Center ng DSWD sinabi ng JJWC exec director na “Nagkaroon sila ng maling understanding doon sa batas, dahil akala nila yung mga bata walang accountability doon at akala nung mga nang-aabuso na pag ginamit nila yung mga bata, hindi rin sila pwedeng file-an ng criminal case. Ang pagkakaiba lang pag bata ang finile-an mo ng criminal case o kung below 15 siya, iba lang yung proseso pero mayroong pa rin silang accountability.”
Aniya, ang batas ay mayroong Comprehensive National Juvenile Intervention Program (CNJIP) na nagtataglay ng whole-of-government approach upang magbigay ng proteksyon sa karapatan ng mga CICLs at children-at-risk (CARs).
Ang JJWC ay mayroon ding comprehensive at child-sensitive procedure para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga CICL sa ilalim naman ng restorative justice and welfare system.
“Ang pinaka-purpose ng batas, dapat walang bata na nagkakaroon ng pagkakamali o kung nagkamali man ay dapat nare-rehabilitate,” sabi pa ni Atty. Oco.
Nilinaw ng opisyal na para sa mga batang may edad 12 at edad 15 pababa na nagkasala o lumabag sa batas ay dinadala sa Bahay Pag-Asa (BPA) na pinapagana ng local government units (LGUs).
Dito ay sumasailalim ang mga children in conflict with the law (CICL) sa intensive juvenile intervention program sa pamamagitan ng Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC).
Para naman sa mga batang nasa edad 15 hanggang edad 18, ang kumakalinga naman sa kanila ay ang Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs).
Paliwanag pa ng opisyal, sakaling ang bata ay nakaunawa na sa kanyang nagawang pagkakasala, at ang imposable penalty ay mahigit 12 years of imprisonment, ito ay maaari ng sampahan ng kaso sa koret. Kung ang penalty naman ay higit sa six (6) years of imprisonment, ang kaso ay maaring isampa sa lebel ng pulisya.
“The procedure can be implemented at the levels of Katarungang Pambarangay, the Police, and Prosecutor. If the penalty is more than six (6) years but not more than 12 years, the diversion will be at the Court level,” sabi ni Atty Oco.
Sa kasalukuyan, mayroong 115 BPA na pawang operational at 25 dito ang accredited ng DSWD. # (MVC)
