Unbiased AI-powered news
Two minors, ages 14 and 15, carried out the June 22 shooting that killed three and wounded 11. Philippine law exempts children 15 and under from criminal liability but requires intervention programs or, in some cases, court proceedings.
RapplerA June 22 shooting at a school in Tacloban City left three people dead and 11 injured. The two individuals identified by police are a 15-year-old Grade 9 student and a 14-year-old Grade 10 student. Section 6 states that a child 15 years old or below who commits a crime is exempt from criminal liability, which normally includes imprisonment or fines.
Exemption from criminal liability does not remove all consequences. Section 20 requires the child to enter a community-based intervention program supervised by the local social welfare and development officer, or placement in a youth care facility or Bahay Pag-asa when that serves the child's best interest.
For minors above 12 but below 15 who commit grave offenses such as murder, the same law mandates placement in an Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center inside a youth care facility. Children aged 15 to 17 are generally exempt unless authorities determine they acted with discernment.
The Supreme Court defined discernment in 2024 as the capacity to understand the difference between right and wrong and the consequences of the act. Social workers conduct the initial assessment using guidelines approved by the court.
If diversion applies, the process differs by penalty length. When the penalty is six years or less, mediation or family conferencing occurs at the barangay level. When the penalty exceeds six years, only a court may order diversion. In the Tacloban case, the Department of the Interior and Local Government stated the 14-year-old will enter an intervention program while the 15-year-old, found to have acted with discernment, will face murder and frustrated murder charges.
Minors may post bail if the offense is bailable.
When detention is required, the law directs placement in youth detention homes established by local governments in the child's city or municipality. If no such facility exists, the child may be committed to the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development or a recognized local rehabilitation center.
Padilla proposed lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility. The Philippine National Police expressed support for the change. Amnesty International Philippines opposed the proposal, stating that harsher punishment does not prevent crimes and can increase reoffending.
Criminology professor Raymund Narag noted data from the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council showing a downward trend in cases involving children in conflict with the law. He suggested Congress consider amending Section 20-A to create a distinct procedure for extraordinarily violent crimes committed with demonstrable discernment rather than lowering the age across the board.
Single source — no framing comparison available.
EuronewsA doctor who returned from a humanitarian mission tested positive after a commercial flight from Kinshasa. Authorities isolated the patient and began contact tracing while assessing transmission risk as very low.
The BbcU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met UAE leaders on the second day of a regional visit aimed at reassuring Gulf allies that their security concerns will factor into ongoing talks to end the Iran-U.S. war.
New York PostCamp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in Houston on Wednesday with debts over $10 million. The filing follows July 2025 floods that killed 27 people at the site and came after a state report cited inadequate emergency planning.