ACE International, DSWD and Family Court Judge: Update

January 26, 2006
Manila, Philippines

ACE International-Philippines Vice-President Eric Mallonga met with Secretary Lualhati Pablo of the
Department of Social Welfare and Development and she has already endorsed our proposal to Congressman
Simeon Datumanong. The following is a summary of the proposed amendments:

1. Minimum Age of Criminal Accountability (MACA) should be set at 18 years, because this is the age of
discernment. If the age is to be set lower, at maybe 15 or 16, then let there be a distinction between
crimes of murder, rape, and terrorism from those misdemeanors on public urination, partial nudity,
gambling and the like. For misdemeanors, why should minors even be detained or criminalized?

2. The overall supervisor of the Juvenile justice program should be DSWD, not the Justice Department.

3. The budget provided for the programs should be item specific, not generalized in a general appropriations
clause, meaning the Internal Revenue Allotments of municipalities, cities, and provinces should be utilized for
childcare programs.

4. There will be two programs: one, a Child Intervention System (CIS), wherein DSWD and community
based local councils for child protection shall intervene in providing disposition programs without
the child even setting foot in a detention jail or being apprehended by a police officer. Second, a
Child Diversion System (CDS), wherein the child will enter the criminal justice system, but efforts will be
exerted to divert the child to DSWD and community based local councils for child protection.

5. When a child, 15 or 16 years old, is investigated by the police for a serious or heinous crime, then the
police will have to turn over the child to DSWD, which will determine whether the child can be redeemed or
rehabilitated without endorsing the child to the criminal justice system, and whether the child acted
with discernment.

Ogie Navarrete from ACE International-Philippines already delivered the computer to Judge Socorro Inting,
who responded that she is now inspired to even work harder for the children to be released and rehabilitated
because of our cooperation and enthusiasm in protecting and helping Filipino children in conflict with the law.