PNP orders review of cases involving minors to better cater to youth

Philippine National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. — Photo from Office of the Chief PNP/Facebook MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered the agency to review its recorded cases of minors violating the law as part of an effort to better cater to the youth. “The Philippine National Police honors and supports the wisdom behind the juvenile justice and welfare law and its genuine intent of reforms and rehabilitation to become better citizens that contribute to nation building,” Nartatez said in a statement on Tuesday. “As one of the frontliners in dealing with children in conflict with the law, we in the PNP need to review and analyze everything to come up with a better police approach that is responsive to their life’s changes as youth, and that also adapts to the constantly evolving modern society,” he maintained. Article continues after this advertisement READ: PNP logs 1,275 school-related incidents from 2022 to 2025 Public interest in Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act was renewed over the past month when a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old allegedly shot up a Tacloban City school, killing three students and injuring 20 more. In the wake of the incident, the PNP said it advocated for a lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility, after the 14-year-old suspect in the Tacloban case was turned over to social workers in accordance with RA No. 9344. The PNP also expressed support for the Department of Education’s push to increase counselling in schools, following reports that the two suspects had been bullied, which supposedly motivated the shooting. “Such interactions and counselling could also lead to a better approach in dealing with school bullying and even students who are engaged in school bomb hoaxes,” Nartatez said. “The Philippine National Police is not only about law enforcement and anti-crime operations. Your PNP also wants to do its share in a comprehensive and holistic approach to make every community a safe and better place to live in,” he added. /mr Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.