MALATE, Manila- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MiMaRoPa identifies 472 cases of children in conflict with the law (CICL) in MiMaRoPa region for 2015.

In the Regional Juvenile Justice and Welfare Committee Meeting yesterday at the department’s regional office, DSWD presented that the top three cases of CICL recorded regionwide are theft with 37 percent, rape with ten percent and robbery with eight percent.

There are 248 cases of CICL in Palawan, 103 cases in Oriental Mindoro, 70 cases in Marinduque, 31 cases Occidental Mindoro, and 20 cases in Romblon.

CICL refers to a child below 18 years old, who is alleged, accused or adjudged as committing an offense under the Philippine laws.

“As an intervention, the Juvenile Justice Welfare (JJW) Act of 2006 established a comprehensive juvenile justice and welfare system which creates inter-agency council composed of government agencies and Non-Government Organizations,” said Rosa Fe Roxas, JJW Regional Focal Person.

The JJW aims to lead a community that promotes and protects the rights of children at risk and children in conflict with the law under a restorative justice and welfare system.

With this, CICL are provided with counselling and/or placed under a diversion program or a government’s community services. For heavy crimes such as rape or murder, the child is detained in youth detention centers to be provided supervision, literacy education, values formation and livelihood programs including the parents while waiting court disposition of their cases.

To date, four centers are established regionwide to cater said cases: two facilities in Mindoro, another two centers in the province of Palawan.

Meanwhile, the Regional Juvenile Justice Welfare Committee is chaired by the DSWD and is mandated to ensure that the law and its implementing rules and regulations are being implemented efficiently and effectively at all levels of government.

Its members are Philippine National Police, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local government, National Youth Commission, Council for the Welfare and Children, Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Regional Public Attorney’s Office and the League of municipalities, cities, barangays and its extended partner-member like the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. ###