Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Senator Erwin Tulfo presides over the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the proposed ₱16.3-billion 2026 budget of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and its attached agencies on October 6, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file

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MANILA — The Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development will conduct a thorough review of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, including a lack of facilities for Children in Conflict with the Law and proposals to lower the age that minors can be held criminally liable, its chairman, Sen. Erwin Tulfo, said.The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality has already scheduled an inquiry on Monday that will look into the Tacloban City school shooting last week <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/26/gorebox-developer-declines-invite-to-senate-probe-on-tacloban-shooting-1020">in the context of video gaming platforms</a>, which authorities said may have influenced the two teens involved in the shooting.  Tulfo said the social justice committee&#x27;s hearing will focus on the lack of functional Bahay Pag-asa facilities for CICLs, the effectiveness of existing interventions for CICLS and children at risk, and whether parents are held accountable for their children&#x27;s offenses.&quot;Are parents of these CICLs being held accountable enough? Are the rehabilitation facilities even existing, let alone working?” he said.Tulfo, a broadcaster before he joined politics, said he had received many complaints on his program from victims &quot;who feel completely helpless because of the Juvenile law implementation.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/27/juvenile-justice-and-welfare-how-does-the-law-punish-a-minor-1211">Juvenile justice and welfare: How does the law ‘punish’ a minor?</a></div>Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan — author of the law — has clarified that the law does not exempt children from accountability, only from criminal liability.He has also said that the law does not allow the release of CICLs without mandatory interventions like guidance and rehabilitation programs.Tulfo said the panel will also review the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility of 15 to see if it is &quot;still realistic given the signs of the times.&quot;Sen. Robinhood Padilla has proposed lowering the age of criminal liability to 10 while the Philippine National Police and some lawmakers want it lowered to 12. Other lawmakers — including Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co — and child welfare advocates counter that lowering the age that children can be criminally charged will not address the causes of youth delinquency.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/24/some-house-members-push-back-on-lowering-age-of-criminal-responsibility-1617">Some House members push back on lowering age of criminal responsibility</a></div>&quot;This review will cover all bases. We are actively getting insights from law experts, law enforcement, social welfare groups, the church, medical professionals, and parents themselves. We need every perspective on the table because we are not just looking at the fine print of the law—we are fixing a broken reality on the ground,&quot; Tulfo said.

Tulfo said the social justice committee's hearing will focus on the lack of functional Bahay Pag-asa facilities for CICLs, the effectiveness of existing interventions for CICLS and children at risk, and whether parents are held accountable for their children's offenses.

Tulfo said the social justice committee's hearing will focus on the lack of functional Bahay Pag-asa facilities for CICLs, the effectiveness of existing interventions for CICLS and children at risk, and whether parents are held accountable for their children's offenses.

Senate panel to review implementation of juvenile justice law, age of criminal liability

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Senate panel to review implementation of juvenile justice law, age of criminal liability

ABS-CBN News

Published June 28, 2026 10:00 AM PHT

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Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act

Children in Conflict with the Law

Erwin Tulfo

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