Iloilo cops told to charge teen offenders

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Children in conflict with the law who are above 15 years old but below 18 may face criminal charges if they acted with discernment, Iloilo City’s top police official said.

Col. Wilbert Parilla, Iloilo City Police Office director, directed station commanders to pursue criminal cases against children in conflict with the law, or CICL, when warranted.

“Most juvenile delinquents thought that because they’re minors, they’re not criminally liable,” he said.

Parilla said police have not been remiss in clarifying that Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, does not automatically shield minors from criminal liability.

The law governs cases involving children at risk and children in conflict with the law, with emphasis on restorative justice, rehabilitation and child protection instead of purely punitive measures.

Under Republic Act No. 9344, a child above 15 but below 18 is exempt from criminal liability and shall undergo intervention unless the child acted with discernment, in which case the child may be subjected to appropriate proceedings under the law.

Parilla said police would also seek to hold parents or legal guardians of CICL liable if allowed by law.

“May mindset kasi ang maraming minors na that they’re exempted from criminal liability. So, if they acted with discernment, they should face the consequences of their acts,” he said.

Parilla said minors above 15 who are involved in crimes, including gang riots, will be charged if the circumstances warrant.

His statement came after the June 22 school shooting incident in Tacloban City that killed three students and injured several others.

The Supreme Court said in 2024 that discernment must be determined in cases involving children in conflict with the law, noting that a child above 15 but below 18 is exempt from criminal liability unless he or she acted with discernment.