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Catriona Gray should be educated, may be ‘misinformed’ about criminal responsibility — Panelo
“It really is probably a consequence of their circumstance or their environment or external pressure.
So a nation, I feel like we should focus on eradicating those external pressures,” the Miss Universe said. (File photo: catriona_gray/Instagram)
Miss Universe Catriona Gray should be “educated” on the bill lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 years old, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Thursday, February 21, as he thinks that the beauty queen may be “misinformed” about it.
“She should be educated on the… ibig sabihin ng (what I mean by) educated, she may have been misinformed on the facts given that the opposition to the lowering comes from ‘yung mga dating kritiko ng administrasyon (former critics of the administration),” the spokesman said in a press briefing.
Panelo clarified that minors who get involved in crimes will not be put behind bars. Instead, they will be brought to rehabilitation centers.
“Baka hindi rin naintindihan ni Miss Universe (Maybe the Miss Universe misunderstood it as well). We are precisely focusing on the problem because the problem is they are engaged in crimes. So what will we do? We will have to rehabilitate them, learn why they have committed these crimes and then put them back to the society,” Panelo said.
In an interview with News5 on Wednesday, Gray said the government should “readjust” its focus on the reasons that made children commit crimes.
“It really is probably a consequence of their circumstance or their environment or external pressure. So a nation, I feel like we should focus on eradicating those external pressures,” the Miss Universe said.
To be able to do this, Gray suggested that the government should “study” the minors, as well as educate their parents and the community where they belong.
Speaking with reporters, Panelo said he was glad that Gray, an advocate for children’s welfare, is sharing her side regarding the matter.
“It only means that she’s also concerned,” the Palace official said.
With 146 affirmative votes, 34 negatives, and zero abstention, the House of Representatives on January 28 approved on the 3rd and final reading House Bill (HB) 8858 which will amend the Republic Act (RA) 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
This development came just a few days after the measure was approved on second reading at the plenary.
