KIKO ON EO 633: ENSURE THAT CHILDREN RELEASES
FROM PRISON ARE PUT UNDER INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

Senate Majority Leader and author of RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Law Kiko Pangilinan today welcomed Malacañang's EO 633 which ordered the release of children in conflict with the law from prison pursuant to the Juvenile Justice Law but called on authorities to ensure that young offenders are put under intervention programs.

"We welcome the release of children in conflict with the law from prison as expressed in Malacañang's order, but I also call on responsible agencies to ensure that these young offenders are put under intervention programs. We would like to reiterate that the goal of the Juvenile Justice Law is not only to get children out of jail but also to provide them with appropriate guidance that are essential to their physical, psychological and emotional well-being so that they may be reintegrated to society in the future," Kiko said.

"I call on the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council and the DSWD to step up the information drive on this measure as there are many who are still confused about the intent of the law. We stress that children in conflict with the law do not go scot-free because while they are not held liable criminally, they are, under the Juvenile Justice System, held accountable for their acts," Kiko stressed.

"Intervention programs in the Juvenile Justice System are individualized programs designed by the local social welfare and development council to reform and rehabilitate a child in conflict with the law. These include counseling, skills training, education, and other activities. We thus need to ensure that children released from jail are all put under these programs for us to fully realize the goal of the measure," KIko ended.