SAN Juan Congressman JV Ejercito announced in Dagupan City Thursday that the amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act which he co-authored in the House of Representatives is set to become a law soon.

“Mukhang ipapasa na namin yan  ,” Ejercito told newsmen during a lull in his solo-campaign sortie in Dagupan and Pangasinan last week.

He said the amendments are needed because the law was abused in the past by criminal and drug syndicates who employed minors in their illegal activities.

Under the present law, an offender who is a minor when arrested by the police would be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and released.

The amendments introduced by legislators provides that minor offender must not only be turned over to the DSWD and released but must also undergo reformation for him to be brought back to normal life.

He said, however, that he is not in favor that the minor offender be mixed with hardened criminals.

Thus, Ejercito is seeking the establishment of juvenile reformation centers in various regions or provinces of the country to guide minor offenders in their return to normal life.

The former mayor of San Juan City spelled out the amendments to the Act when he came over to Pangasinan ahead of his teammates in the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

He said this is because he gives too much importance to the province, being one of the biggest in the country not only in land area, but also in population and number of voters.

At the same time, he is hoping that some two million kasambahays throughout the country will support him in his fight for a seat in the Senate, as he was among those who pushed the Kasambahay bill in the House of Representatives.

The Kasambahay Act provides protection as well as benefits to the housemaids.

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