Freedom is something that can be associated with childhood. Children embodies freedom in saying and doing things because of the limited knowledge that they possess. However, with the proposed lowering of the criminal liability age, there is a threat for the freedom that children holds. Will children still be outside playing games? Or will they be inside the jail, paying the price of the crime they should not be the ones to pay?

       Early this year, the House of Representatives approved House Bill no. 8858, which aims to amend Republic Act (RA) 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Act of 2006 that exempts 15 to 18-year-old youth from criminal responsibility.

     Under the aforementioned House Bill, children who are nine years old will be detained for criminal charges if proven guilty of serious crimes which include kidnapping, murder, parricide, infanticide, and serious illegal detention.

     This issue gained a mixture of reactions from different groups, organizations, and even politicians themselves. According to the Child and Youth Welfare Act of the Philippines, a child is defined as those who are below 21 years old.

The code also states that “Every child has the right to grow up as a free individual, in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, tolerance, and universal brotherhood, and with the determination to contribute his share in the building of a better world.”

      It is not trivial to Filipinos that aside from rotten justice system, the country also face poor facilities for prisoners. It is not also surprising to hear prisoners getting sick or worst, dying inside the jail while making up for the crimes they make because of the inhabitable condition behind the rails. If one would think about imprisoning children who are engaged in crimes, then he/she should also consider that it is not impossible for a child to suffer or even die inside the jail. The adults are getting skin illnesses and other diseases, what more for the children?

     Yes, children are used in committing crimes. But should they be the ones to be blamed? No. It will never be a mistake to be paid by the children if they will be engaged in wrong doings. No person is born a criminal, they are either abandoned by their parents, used by syndicates, or just desperate to live.

     If the Philippine justice system aims to lessen crimes, the system itself should be strengthened and reinforced. Regardless of imprisoning thousands of criminals and thousands of others who died while within the rails, the country will never be crime-free if the law itself is sleeping and the people in power are slacking. After all, there will be no sinners in the first place if the law is strong enough to avoid creating sinners.