Innocence

A SPATE of crimes last year, particularly in the streets of the capital Metro Manila, perpetrated by minors brought to the fore the weakness of Republic Act (RA) 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. A weakness that organized crime groups have taken advantage of.

Last week, a similar scenario became evident in Pangasinan as a 15-year old girl was arrested for involvement in the illegal drug trade in Dagupan City while three boys aged 15, 12, and 11 were caught by the police for breaking into a bank in Mangaldan, armed with guns albeit fake. It was later established that the girl’s father is convicted and serving time for illegal drugs while the three have previously been involved in other theft incidents and the police are looking at the possible control over them of an organized group – or at the very least one evil adult.

It is sad to think of the innocence lost among these children. But they are not innocent of the crimes they have committed. They surely do not deserve punishment equivalent to those meted to adult offenders but they definitely must face penalties because children need to be taught that committing a crime has consequences. The police, meanwhile, must double its efforts in tracing the adults who have introduced these children to criminality. The youth, the “hope of the fatherland”, first need to be shown hope by their fathers and mothers and their communities.

The proposed amendments to RA 9344 must be prioritized and carefully discussed by the new set of congressmen who will be taking office after the May elections. One particular item that they must seriously study, aside from the age limit as to when “discernment” is factored into the judgment of the child, is the punishment that should be slapped on the parents of the errant child.

A childhood lost is usually rooted in irresponsible parenthood.

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Comelec rules

THE Comelec has said candidates in the May polls cannot campaign on Maundy Thursday, March 28; Good Friday, March 29; on the eve of Election Day, May 12; and, on Election Day, May 13. Its six rules on campaign paraphernalia are: 1) Leaflets should be 8-1/2 inches in width and 14 inches in length; 2) Posters 2 feet by 3 feet; 3) No plastic and other materials hazardous to nature; 4) The words, “Political advertisement paid for…” is required in every campaign material; 5) A candidate cannot act in his own movie biopic for public exhibition; and, 6) Campaign materials allowed only in authorized common poster areas.

Violators can be reported through numbers 527-5574, 525-9345 and 525-9302, or e-mail isumbongsacomelec@gmail.com, or tweet to @comelectv, or post a comment on http://facebook.com/pcosdemo.

Well and good. But will the Comelec itself do its job, i.e., apprehend and prosecute the violators?

That will be the day.

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