TABUK CITY – Children in conflict with the law (CICLs) apprehended in Tabuk City are presently undergoing counseling session initiated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
The purpose of the counseling, according to Marinel Dorgay, Social Welfare Officer I is to provide an opportunity for the person to describe their feelings and problems for themselves and then to reach decisions and actions that are based on informed choices.
She also informed that the counseling service is part of diversion or an alternative, child appropriate process of determining the responsibility and treatment of CICL on the basis of his social, cultural, psychological or educational background without resorting to formal court proceedings.
Judith Sangdaan, Social Welfare Officer II disclosed that from January 2016 to present, a total of 11 CICLs were referred to their office for counseling and individual treatment plan which varies according to offense committed. She said that six of them are charged of property-related crimes while the others were seized of personal and drug-related crimes.
‘’We want our CICLs to change for the better and be modified with their character and not to do illegal and unlawful activities anymore,’’ Sangdaan underscored. She also added that CICLs with light offenses are scheduled for once a month counseling service and twice monthly for children who did heinous crimes.
Aiming for the holistic reformation of CICLs, the CSWDO also gives spiritual guidance in partnership with Shalom Kalinga, Ministers Associations for Reformed Kalinga (MARK) and refers the troubled children for summer youth activities through the Pag-asa Youth Association and continues to follow up their behavior with help from the concerned barangay officials and the family.
‘’Once there was a change in behavior and character through regular attendance to scheduled counseling service and when they stop from doing unlawful activities, then we can say that the treatment plan made between the social worker in-charge of the case and the child with his parents is successful,’’ Sangdaan answered when asked about the indicators used to measure total reformation of the children involved in crimes.
Sangdaan also added that in case the child does not comply with the series of activities reflected in the treatment plan, the social worker can make an assessment report with recommendations and submits it to the court as basis for the child’s transfer to rehabilitation center.
The counseling service, however, she said is strengthened through information education campaign on RA 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006) to commence on April 2017 to all barangays and on June 2017 to schools.
When asked of his thoughts on the law, Atty. Guillermo Lawagan of the City Legal Office said that the law is effective in a sense that it protects the rights of CICLs by turning them over to social workers when caught committing criminal acts but the only problem, he said is on its strict implementation and lack of political will.
‘’When the youthful perpetrators are caught, the police have no option but to turn the kids over to social workers after an initial investigation who, after documenting the cases, are obliged to release them. There is a need for rehabilitation center in the city for their wholesome reformation,’’ Lawagan pointed out informing that parental negligence and peer influence push children to do activities contrary to law and advised parents to educate their children to avoid getting intro troubled situation.
The same law covers children at risk and CICLs who are under the age of 18. Same law sets the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR) at 15 years old which mean that a child 15 years old or below or 15 years of age but below 18 who acted without discernment at the time of the commission of the offense is exempt from criminal liability but are not exempt from civil liability. The joint parental responsibility applies sunder the law.
By Darwin S. Serion