NTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
) 
1 
"Qd JZJM 30 flo 
7 
S. No. - 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
EXPLANATORY NOT 
It is a declared policy of the State to recognize the vital role of the youth 
in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual and social well-being. 
It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and 
nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
The complexity of our present society and the curiosity of our youth to 
experience and savor the alluring comfort the modern world has to offer have 
made our youth prone to the commission of crimes, petty or serious. Thus, the 
State has to view these offenders as misguided children whose varied and 
complex needs require specialized handling. 
This bill, therefore, seeks not to exact retribution but to provide for their 
rehabilitation - aimed at turning them into responsible and productive citizens of 
our society. 
. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of the Bill is earnestly sought. 
F 
N 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
*t% 
JUM 30 ;?/(j : 1 7 
R 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. ntle and Coverage, 
-This Act shall be known as the 
“Comprehensive Juvenile Justice System.” It shall apply to all youth offenders 
who are over twelve (12) years but under eighteen (18) years of age at the time 
of the commission of the offenses punishable under existing penal laws. 
A youth offender who is twelve (12) years of age or below at the time of 
the commission of an offense shall be exempt from criminal liability and shall be 
committed to the care of his or her father or mother or nearest relative or family 
friend at the discretion of the juvenile court to be established in this Act and 
subject to its supervision. 
The same action shall apply to a youth offender who 
is over twelve (12) years of age but under fifteen (15) years of age at the time 
of the commission of an offense, unless he acted wjth discernment, in which 
case he shall be proceeded against in accordance with Section 4 of this Act. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy and Purposes. - It is the policy of the 
State that youth offenders are just misguided children rather than die-hard 
criminals, and their varied and complex needs require their specialized handling. 
The thrust of their treatment is not to exact retribution but towards their 
rehabilitation aimed at turning them into responsible and productive citizens. 
In this regard, this Act shall have the following purposes: 
a) Promote the correction and rehabilitation of youth offenders; 
b) Provide opportunities for the reformation of youth offenders; and 
c) Prevent the commission of offenses by the youth. 
SECTION 3. Instrumentalities to be Established. - 
a) There shall be established in each office of the Philippine National 
Police (PNP) in the province, city or municipality a Youth Relations Unit 
which shall be responsible for the handling and investigation of cases 
of youth offenders. The unit shall be headed by a police officer who 


shall have demonstrated ability and training in handling cases involving 
youth offenders. 
The police personnel assigned in the unit shall be provided with 
regular training by the Philippine Public Safety College which shall 
include in its training module subjects on management of youth 
offenders, youth psychology, legal rights of youth, procedure in the 
handling of cases of youth offenders and similar matters. 
There shall be established and maintained by the Department of 
Interior and Local Government in every city and municipality a secure, 
clean, adequately equipped and sanitary Youth Detention Center for 
the custody of youth offenders while awaiting investigation or trial 
and/or transfer to the youth rehabilitation centers or pending appeal. 
The detention center shall be headed by a jail officer who shall possess 
the ability and training required of a public officer assigned in a youth 
relations unit. 
The detention center shall be under the supervision 
and control of juvenile courts. 
. 
There shall be organized in the Department of Justice a Special 
Prosecution Group with the principal function of prosecuting youth 
offenders. 
Members of this group shall be assigned in the juvenile 
courts and shall be especially trained to handle cases involving youth 
offenders. 
There shall be established by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development in each region a Youth Rehabilitation Center for youth 
offenders. 
Each youth rehabilitation center shall be headed by a 
center social worker, graduate of a four-year course in social work with 
masteral units who shall be responsible for the rehabilitation of youth 
offenders. 
There shall be established by the city and municipal government in 
their respective jurisdictions a Community Youth Welfare Office which 
shall be responsible for providing follow-up care and services for 
released youth offenders. It shall be directly under the supervision of 
the city or municipal mayor. 
It shall initiate community-based 
programs and other measures to prevent juvenile delinquency. 
It 
shall assist youth offenders released from youth rehabilitation centers 
to learn and earn by helping them look for opportunities for 
employment or to engage in economic self-help projects. 
Personnel 
assigned in this unit shall be provided with special training to 
accomplish their functions by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Develop men t . 
SECTION 4. 
li7vesfigtion of Youth Offenders. - After the apprehension 
of a youth offender, he shall be immediately brought to the youth relations unit 
of the police department concerned established in paragraph (a), Section 3 of 
this Act for investigation, including the taking of his statements and those of the 
other parties involved. 
In these proceedings, great care must be observed to 
ensure that the rights of the youth offender, including the right to counsel, are 
not violated, and that he is protected from physical harm and mental 
intimidation. The investigation report, which shall include detailed information 
. 
on his personal circumstances, together with the statements taken and other 


evidence, shall be submitted for disposition to the special prosecutor provided for 
in paragraph (c), Section 3 of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Filing of Charges before the Juvenile Court -The special 
prosecutor shall conduct a preliminary investigation taking into consideration the 
circumstances of the youth offender. 
In the proceedings, he shall insure that the legal rights of the youth 
If the evidence warrants the filing of charges, the 
offender are protected. 
special prosecutor shall file the same with the juvenile court. 
SECTION 6. Release on Recognizance, - Pending investigation or trial, 
the court, may, in its discretion upon recommendation of the DSWD or other 
agencies authorized by the Court, release a youth offender on recognizance, to 
the custody of his parents or other suitable person who shall be responsible for 
his appearance whenever required. 
SECTION 7. Detention of Youth Offenders, - A  youth offender who is 
facing trial or has filed an appeal, if unable to post bail, shall from the time of his 
arrest be committed to the youth detention center established in paragraph (b) 
of Section 3 of this Act which shall be responsible for his appearance in the 
juvenile court. 
SECTION 8. Suspension of Sentence and Commitment of Youth Offender. 
- Should the juvenile court find, after hearing the evidence in the proper 
proceedings, that the youth offender has committed the acts charged against 
him, it shall determine the imposable penalty, including the civil liability, if any. 
However, instead of pronouncing judgment of conviction, the child and family 
court shall suspend all further proceedings and commit the youth offender to the 
Youth Rehabilitation Center established in paragraph (d) section 3 of this Act or 
to the Department of Social Welfare and Development until he shall have 
reached twenty one (21) years of age, or for a shorter period as the Child and 
Family Court may deem proper, 
after 
considering the 
reports and 
recommendation of the youth rehabilitation center concerned or DSWD. 
The 
DSWD shall formulate rehabilitation activities for minors committed to their 
custody including community service activities to be rendered by the youth 
offender. 
The community service activities shall be formulated by the Child 
Relation Officer of the PNP, the Community Youth Welfare Officer of the DILG 
and DSWD. 
The benefit of this section shall not apply to a youth offender who has 
once enjoyed suspension of sentence. 
SECTION 9. 
Report on the Conduct of Youth Offender. - The DSWD or 
the Youth Rehabilitation Center shall submit to the juvenile court and to the 
special prosecutor concerned every four (4) months or oftener as may be 
required in a special case, a written report on the conduct of the youth offender 
as well as the intellectual, physical, moral, social and emotional progress made 
by him. 
SECTION io. Dismissa/ of Case, - If shown to the satisfaction of the 
court, based on the reports and recommendation of the Youth Rehabilitation 
Center or DSWD, that the youth offender whose sentence has been suspended, 
has shown good conduct and his capability to be a useful and responsible 


member of the community even before reaching the age of twenty one (21), it 
shall dismiss the case and order the final discharge of the youth offender. 
A 
copy of the order of the dismissal of the case and his release shall be furnished 
the community youth welfare office of the city or municipality concerned, 
established under paragraph (e), Section 3 of this Act. 
SECTION 11.. Pronouncement of Judgment Against the Youth Offender. - 
I f  the youth offender has remained to be incorrigible or has willfully failed to 
comply with the conditions of his rehabilitation programs, thereby making his 
continued stay in youth rehabilitation center inadvisable, he shall be returned to 
the committing juvenile court for the pronouncement of judgment. 
When the 
youth offender has reached the age of twenty-one while in commitment in a 
Youth Rehabilitation Center, the juvenile court shall determine whether to 
dismiss the case in accordance with Section IO of this Act or to pronounce 
judgment of conviction. 
In the latter case, the convicted youth offender may 
apply for probation under the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 968, as 
amended. In either case, the youth offender shall be credited in the service of 
his sentence with the full time spent in actual commitment and detention 
effected under this Act. 
SECTION 12. Civil Liability of the Youth Oflender. -The final release of 
the youth offender pursuant to the provisions of this Act shall not obliterate his 
civil liability for damages. 
Such liability shall devolve upon his father and, in 
case of his death or incapacity, upon the mother, or in case of her death or 
incapacity, upon the guardian. 
Civil liability may be voluntarily assumed by a 
relative or family friend of the youth offender. 
SECTION 13. Separate Quarters for Sentenced Youth Offender. - Upon 
conviction in accordance with the provisions of Section 11, and if at the time of 
the pronouncement of conviction the youth offender is still under twenty one, he 
shall be committed to the proper penal institutions to serve the remaining period 
of his sentence: Provided, That the penal institution shall provide him with 
quarters segregated from those of adult convicts. 
SECTION 14. Confidentiality of Records of Case of Youth Offender. - All 
records of the case against a youth offender, which resulted in either his 
, 
acquittal, dismissal of his case pursuant to Section 10, or conviction pursuant to 
Section I1 shall be considered as privileged and shall not be disclosed directly or 
indirectly to anyone without authority from the juvenile court. The records shall 
include court proceedings and files of the National Bureau of Investigation, any 
police department or any other government agency. 
SECTION 15. Transfer of Cases of Youth Offender. - The Secretary of 
Justice shall cause all cases and proceedings involving youth offenders pending 
before regional courts and municipal trial courts to be transferred to the juvenile 
courts. 
SECTION 16. Violation of Confidential Nature of Records of Case of Youth 
Offender. -The penalty of imprisonment ranging from six (6) months to six (6) 
years and a fine ranging from one thousand pesos (P1,OOO.OO) 
to six thousand 
pesos (P6,OOO.OO) 
shall be imposed upon any person who violates Section 14 
hereof. 


. ' %  
, b  
SECT1 b N 17. Promulgation of Implementing Rules and Regulations. - 
The Supremk Court, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the 
Department bf Justice, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development 
shall jointly &omulgate the rules and regulations to implement this Act. 
SECTION 18. Appropriations, - The amount necessary to organize and 
operate each of the instrumentalities provided in paragraph (a), (b), (c), and (d) 
of Section 3 hereof shall be charged to the appropriations of the department 
under whose jurisdiction it falls under the current General Appropriations Act. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be needed for the continued operations of these 
instrumentalities shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
The amount necessary to organize and operate the community welfare offices in 
the cities and municipalities as provided in paragraph (e) of Section (3) hereof 
shall be charged to the appropriations for the Department of the Interior and 
Local Government under the current General Appropriations Act. 
Thereafter, 
such sums as may be needed for their continued operation shall be included in 
the respective annual budgets of cities and municipalities concerned. 
SECTION 18. Separabiility Clause, -If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 19. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, regulations 
and other issuances or part thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 20. €ffectivi& -This Act shall take effect two (2) weeks after 
its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved.