Pushers employ juvenile delinquents as drug couriers

Illegal drug pushers are now using minors as drug couriers in order to evade arrest in their illegal activities, according to the Police Regional Office (PRO) VI.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., police regional director has expressed concern over this.

"Naging mas mahirap ang ating paghahabol sa mga nagtitinda ng ilegal na droga dahil naging innovative rin ang mga ito," he said.

But Cruz said that they have been making ways on how to collar drug distributors and pushers, amid their strategies to elude arrest.

He added that the campaign will be intensified in the coming of the Yuletide season, Cruz said.

Illegal drug traders are expected to take advantage of the season because people will have more money due to good economic activity.

PRO6 records showed that 337 drug suspects were arrested in the 218 operations conducted in the last three quarters of this year.

Bacolod City Police Office has the most number of arrests with 121. This is followed by Iloilo City Police  Office - 60, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office - 58;  Iloilo Police Provincial Office – 31; Aklan PPO - 26; Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs - 19; Capiz PPO - 15; Antique PPO - 6 and Guimaras PPO with one.

Consequently, 195 cases were filed for violation of RA 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Of that number,  BCPO has 60 cases filed, AkPPO – 36, ICPO – 27, NOPPO – 24, IPPO – 22, CPPO – 14, RAID – 7, AnPPO – 4, and GPPO with one.

Cruz said the number of arrests is lower compared to the same period last year with 361 arrested persons and the filing of 245 cases.

JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

Aside from illegal drugs, Cruz noted the prevalence on the use of children in other crimes such as snatching, theft, and akyat-bahay.

“We do a periodic report on this and submit it to the higher headquarters in support to the proposal to amend Republic Act 9344,” he said.

RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 covers the different stages involving children at risk and children in conflict with the law from prevention to rehabilitation and reintegration.

But what was contentious was Section 6 of RA 9344, which sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

In such case, a child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability. However, the child shall be subjected to an intervention program pursuant to Section 20 of the said Act.

Further, a child above fifteen (15) years but below eighteen (18) years of age shall likewise be exempt from criminal liability and be subjected to an intervention program, unless he/she has acted with discernment, in which case, such child shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act.

The exemption from criminal liability established does not include exemption from civil liability, which shall be enforced in accordance with existing laws.

But the PNP wanted the age of discernment to be lowered to 12 from 15.*