A lawyer who publicly supported the move of the government to lower the age of lawbreaking liability explained why he’s looking forward in this controversial plan which criticized by human rights groups.
In his post, Atty. Carlo Ybanez explained his experience about a case involving three minors who r*ped their 14-year-old classmate.
According to him, the present law making 15 years old below to be exempted in liabilities affected the rule of the case, saying that the three suspects didn’t get punished for what they did because they’re 14 years old.
He also witnessed how the lawyers of the victim told their client that they cannot do anything to punish the suspects because they’re protected by the law.
Ybanez also saw the suspects being joyful after they escaped the liabilities and they even seem mocking the victim.
During that time, he realized that the current law didn’t help the minors to change, because they didn’t feel any regrets for what they’re doing as long as they’re not getting punished.
You can read his whole post below:
“One of the reasons I am totally for the lowering of the age of criminal liability is becuase I’ve seen the flaws of the old law in my legal practice. I’ve handled a lot of cases where kids over 9 and below 15 have escaped liability. Pero, there is one case that we handled that’s above it all.
I didn’t want to narrate this case because I feared that I may be violating lawyer-client priviledge. And I might get a violent reaction from the parents. Pero, I will not name names and I will be as vague as possible.
“Eto po ang kwento. Totoong kaso na hinawakan ko.
Matagal na itong kasong ito. Bagong bago pa lang ang batas na nagtataas ng criminal liability age to 15. So, nung nangyari ito. Totally exempt na from criminal liability ang below 15 years old.
Rape case ito. At hindi lang r*pe. Gang r*pe. Tatlong batang lalaki (14 years old), nirape ang classmate nila (14 years old din).
Sa madaling salita. Abswelto sa kriminal liability ang mga batang lalaki.
Isipin ninyo ano ang nararamdaman nuong batang babae. Gano kahirap kaya bago niya naikwento sa magulang niya ang dinanas niya? Iniisip niya na matutulungan siya ng magulang niya at ng batas.
Pero noong pumunta ang mga magulang sa mga abugado, ano ang sanabi sa kanila ng abugado, “sorry po. Wala kaming magagawa”.
Bilang magulang. Ano ang sasabihin mo sa anak mo kung nangyari ito. “Sorry anak, wala tayong magagawa”.
Tapos titingin siya sa kabila, makikita niya yung tatlong batang lalaki na nakangiti at iniisip na, “ni-rape ka namin at wala kang magagawa”.
Ano na kaya ang naramdaman ng batang na-rape at walang makuhang hustisya?
Tignan natin ang side ng mga batang lalaki. Dahil hindi sila criminally liable, tingin nyo ba pinagsisisihan nila ginawa nila? Tingin niyo ba magbabago sila?
Or hindi kaya, lumala pa ang pagka kriminal nila at madala nila ito hanggat katandaan?
Nasan na kaya sila ngayon?
Actual na kaso ito. Isang patunay na hindi lahat ng bata inosente. Ang sinsasabi ko ay simple. Protektahan natin ang mga batang inosente. Pero biyan ng criminal liability ang mga batang kriminal.”
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