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Sec. Puno confirms move to amend Pangilinan Law

Written by anyajulia on 06 July 2009

COPS can heave a sigh of relief now that the infamous Pangilinan Law is on the verge of instituted amendments.

The Pangilinan Law or Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 exempts criminal liability to persons below 15 years old.

This has also become controversial for law enforcements who are often situated at the receiving end of suits for performance of their duty to keep peace.

No less than Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno confirmed that it may not be long when Senator Francisco Pangilinan, the one who frontloaded the law submits his proposals to amend the very law he introduced.

Other than Pnagilinan who himself ahs seen the trouble his law has caused, anti-crime advocates and law enforcement groups have lobbied for the immediate introduction of amendments to keep the intent of the law above all else.

Speaking during a press conference at the Leqazpi Suite of the posh Bohol Tropics, Puno admitted that the law indeed has its loopholes.

Particular problems of the law surfaced in a celebrated case in Laguna where a student beat to death a high school kid. But since that student is below 15, the police had no choice but to release him.

However, in fairness to the sponsors of the law, Sen Pangilinan and the UNICEF, it also provides “diversion” and intervention” programs to be implemented by the DSWD.

However, criminal syndicates who have seen the huge gray area to circumvent the law have used minors as couriers or the hands in the commission of crimes, knowing these kids can easily slip because of this impediment

Over this, policemen who for duty sake accost minors more often than not find themselves entangled with the law and this has caused demoralization among the ranks, a local station commander revealed.

With the amendment, at leas policemen would fear no more, especially when apprehending or accosting minors. (PIA)

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