MANILA – Sen. Raffy Tulfo is pushing to amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act to provide funding for a separate detention facility for minors who commit heinous crimes.

During the Senate Committee on Women and Children hearing on Tuesday, Tulfo said Republic Act No. 9344 should be amended because placing Children in Conflict with the Law (CICLs) who committed heinous offenses in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Bahay Pag-Asa facilities is insufficient.

According to Tulfo, these minors undergo intervention and rehabilitation programs before eventually being released without fully realizing the consequences of their actions.

“Naniniwala ako na hindi sila dapat ihalo sa hardened criminals. Everybody believes that. Pero hindi rin dapat mawala ang mensahe na ang bawat aksyon ay may consequence.”

Tulfo said the current setup in Bahay Pag-Asa facilities may fail to impress upon minors the seriousness of committing crimes.

“Hindi yung nakikita ng mga bata na, ‘Ah, kapag ako ay nag-commit ng crime, pupunta ako sa Bahay Pag-Asa, at pagdating doon, magba-basketball kami, may pingpong… kumakain sila sama-sama, nagtatawanan.

“Pagdating sa gabi, nandoon sila sama-sama sa isang kwarto, mag-uusap-usap. Saan dito yung takot na maipapakita sa mga bata? They will think it’s excursion, camping. Dapat papakita natin na merong katapat na parusa ang bawat gagawin niyong kasalanan.”

The proposal received support from Jennylyn Badoria, whose child was among the students killed in the shooting incident at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22.

Tulfo also urged the Department of Education to study the possible implementation of supervised boot camps or carefully designed immersion programs where reformed former Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) can speak to students.

He said these programs could allow former PDLs to share their experiences in prison, discuss the hardships they faced, and explain how they rebuilt their lives and became productive members of society.