MANILA – Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa expressed support for a measure seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 17 years old to 10 years old, saying it is time to revisit the existing law.

Dela Rosa backed Senate Bill 372, authored by Senator Robin Padilla, which seeks to amend Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act. Padilla earlier delivered a privilege speech citing cases where minors involved in heinous crimes were spared from accountability under the current law.

In an interview over the weekend, Dela Rosa recalled his experience as a police officer, saying syndicates often exploited children to carry out crimes.

“Noong ako’y pulis, noong una nung nagawa yung batas, tumaas yung krimen na involved ang bata at noong napag aralan namin ay mga bata ang ginagamit na ng mga sindikato,” he said.

He recounted instances where minors were used as drug couriers, concealing narcotics inside cakes to evade detection, and as accomplices in burglary.

“Meron din yung mga akyat bahay kung saan… bata ang pinapa akyat dahil… maliliit na bintana hindi kayang pasukin ng malaking tao, bata ginagamit para makapasok… Yung bata pag hinabol mo, gumawa ng krimen at hinabol mo pag dakma mo dudukot kaagad sa bulsa, pakita ng birth certificate ‘Sir o, menor de edad pa ako.’ Ginagamit. Handang handa… ginagawang shield yung batas na yan,” he said.

The chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order said the situation has worsened, claiming that minors are no longer just being used by criminal groups but are also forming their own syndicates.

“I think it’s about time na ire-examine nanaman natin, irevisit natin tong batas na ito dahil nga noon, ang mga bata ang ginagamit ng sindikato. Pero ngayon, ang mga bata na mismo ang sindikato, hindi na sila nag papagamit, sila na mismo ang organized as a syndicate, mga bata,” Dela Rosa said during his interpellation of Padilla’s speech.