Parents should be liable for erring minors: DSWD-10 exec

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY--Parents of minors who are in conflict with the law should be held liable for their children's crimes.

This was the suggestion of Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) in Region 10 Director Nestor Ramos, who suggested that child delinquency emanates from parental irresponsibility.

"There are delinquent parents, but not delinquent children, " Ramos said.

Ramos cited the role of parents or guardians in educating children and instilling in them values acceptable to the society.

The DSWD-10 official said cases involving children must be referred immediately to DSWD--in particular the agency's Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), an inter-agency group that includes DSWD as well as government and non-government agencies that monitors children in conflict with the law (CILC).

In Northern Mindanao Region, there are five "Bahay Pag-asa" houses that admit CICLs to help them with values formation and other medical and psychological interventions. Ramos said that compared before, there has been an increase in admissions in these centers partly because of the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign.

"Apparently there's an increase because of drug-related incidents and curfews. But after three days, they (CILC) will be released," he said.

Lawyer Ruby Malanog, senior assistant city prosecutor at the Department of Justice in Region 10, said the absence of special facilities for CICLs has forced many local governments to be put erring minors alongside adult detainees in jails.

"We (JJWC) don't agree that jails are the solution to the problem (with CICLs). That is why we are advocating that LGUs (local government units) will give attention to this sector of the society. We should examine why these children have become like this," Malanog said.

She called on the LGUs to provide a special facility for CICL to complement the DSWD's "Bahay Pag-asa" houses.

Jail Chief Inspector Samuel Palionay Jr., assistant regional director of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Region 10 (BJMP-10) said minors should not be mixed with adults in jails or detention centerse.

"There are cases that upon interview by the BJMP, there may be doubts that by just mere looks (of these detainees) they can be minors," Palionay said. "That is why we ask parents or guardians to provide us additional papers." (PNA)


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