MANILA—Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has denounced as fake news and disinformation claims that minors who commit crimes cannot be punished under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

In his interpellation of Senator Robinhood Padilla’s privilege speech on Tuesday, August 13, Pangilinan lamented how misinformation has distorted public understanding of the law’s provisions. Padilla is seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 to 10 years old.

“Una sa lahat, tayo ay nakikiisa sa kanya (Padilla) sa usapin ng pangangailangan ng hustisya lalo na sa naging biktima ng krimen o kaya mga kilos ng mga kabataang nasasangkot o menor de edad na nasasangkot sa criminal activities,” Pangilinan said.

“Tama lang na dapat ang mga nagkasala ay nananagot at marahil maraming kinakailangan din na liwanagin o linawin sa usapin ng ano nga ba ang tunay na mga probinsyon o tunay na mga posibleng mga pang implementa ng batas at ikumpra ito sa mga hindi tama o kaya disinformation,” he added.

The senator, who authored the law in 2006 and its amendments in 2013, clarified that minors who commit crimes can still face punishment. He cited the case of the Maguad siblings’ killers, who were imprisoned despite being minors at the time of the crime.

“In other words, hindi tama yung sinasabi na dahil menor de edad ay hindi pwede parusahan, dahil yung dalawang involved sa Maguad killings pinarusahan, nakakulong ngayon,” he said. “Ayaw natin mangyari ang mga ‘to.”

Pangilinan emphasized that it is illegal to release minors guilty of serious crimes such as rape or homicide, as the law requires mandatory confinement of at least one year, extendable to three years or more depending on the court’s ruling.

He cited Valenzuela City’s full implementation of the law when Senator Win Gatchalian was mayor, noting that 70% of children in conflict with the law who underwent rehabilitation and diversion successfully returned to normal life.

“We welcome this opportunity na magkaroon talaga ng diskusyon, makita ang maganda sa batas, makita ang kakulangan sa implementasyon, at tingnan din natin itong usapin nung lowering of the age,” Pangilinan said, while maintaining that 10 years old is too young to be held criminally liable.

Pangilinan thanked Padilla for supporting the law’s full implementation, stressing that protecting children in conflict with the law requires both compassion and accountability. He said rehabilitation, education, and reintegration—not mere punishment—must remain central to the country’s juvenile justice system.