By Vanne Elaine Terrazola

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Monday called on his colleagues in Congress to base their proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal liability from 15 years old to nine years old on research, facts and studies and not on whims and unproven theories.

“The proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) calls for evidence-based legislation,” Recto said.

In issuing the appeal, the Senate leader demanded figures proving the extent of the involvement of Filipino children, particularly nine-year-olds, in various crimes.

“Ilan po ba ang drug lords na nine years old sa bansa ngayon? Ilan po bang nuebe anyos ang sangkot sa kidnap-for-ransom? Mayroon po bang mga sampung taong gulang na kilabot na carnapper? Sa record ng BOC, ilang onse anyos na ba ang nahuli sa pagpupuslit ng shabu? (How many nine-year-old drug lords do we have in the country today? How many nine-year-old children are involved in kidnap-for-ransom? Are there 10-year-old carnappers? In the records of the Bureau of Customs, how many nine-year-old children are arrested for sneaking shabu into the country?),” Recto asked.

He also asked how the proposed lowering of the age of criminal liability would help in addressing the incidence of crimes in the country.

Recto stressed the importance of citing studies in crafting pieces of legislation. “In the absence of any, we may be legislating based on superstition,” he said.

“Magbalangkas po tayo ng batas na base sa datos at hindi sa akala at haka-haka (We should craft laws based on data and not opinions or guesses),” Recto said.

The Justice Committee of the House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill that seeks to lower the age of criminal liability to nine. Senators, meanwhile, are divided on the matter.