TWELFTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
Fimt Regular Session 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
1 
e* 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator OsmeAa 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The future belongs to the youth. In the spirit of compassion to them, Article 
192 of Presidential Decree No. 603 otherwise known as the Child and Youth Welfare 
Code, 
provides for the suspension of sentence and commitment of youthful 
offenders. However, the last paragraph of Article 192 removes from its coverage 
youthful offenders who are convicted of offenses punishable by death or life 
imprisonment or those who are convicted for an offense by the military tribunals. 
Because of this provision, an 1 I-year old boy named Cornelio Celestino Jr. 
languishes at the New Bilibid Prison together with hardened criminals. He was 
convicted by the Bulacan Regional Trial Court for raping his six-year-old playmate in 
August 7997, and sentenced to the indeterminate penalty of 8 years and one day to 
10 years of Prision Mayor as minimum to 12 years and 1 day to 14 years and 8 
months of Reclusion Temporal as maximum. While his case remains pending with 
the Court of appeals, his manifestation that he be allowed to serve his sentence at 
the Regional Youth Rehabilitation Center of the Department of Social Wefare and 
Development in Ayala, Magalang, Pampanga was denied on the basis of the last 
paragraph of Article 192. 
This bill proposes to amend the Child and Youth Welfare Code so that the 
benefits meant for youthful offenders will also apply to those convicted of offenses 
punishable by death or life imprisonment, thereby tempering justice with compassion 
and kindness especially for juvenile cases. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested 
SERGIO OSMENA 111 
Senator 


TWELFTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
)
,
 
n 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Osmeha 111 
AN ACT 
AMENDING ARTICLE 192 OF THE CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE SO AS 
TO EXTEND ITS BENEFITS TO YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS CONVICTED OF 
OFFENSES 
PUNISHABLE 
BY 
DEATH 
OR 
LIFE 
IMPRISONMENT 
OR 
CONVICTED BY MILITARY TRIBUNALS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Article 192 of Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, 
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otherwise known as the Child and Youth Welfare Code is hereby further 
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"Art. 192. 
Suspension of Sentence and Commifment of 
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Youthful Offender. - 
If 
after hearing the evidence in the proper 
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proceedings, the Court should find that the youthful offender has 
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committed the acts charged against him, the court shall determine the 
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imposable penalty, including any civil liability chargeable against him. 
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However, instead of pronouncing judgment of conviction, the court upon 
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application of the youthful offender and if it finds that the best interest of 
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the public as well as that of the offender will be served thereby, may 
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suspend all further proceedings and commit such minor to the custody or 
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care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, or to any 
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training institution operated by the government or any other responsible 
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person until he shall have reached twenty-one years of age, or for a 
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shorter period as the Co~irt may deem proper, 
after considering the 
amended to read as follows: 


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reports and recommendations of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development of the government training institution or responsible person 
under whose care he has been committed. 
“Upon receipt of the application of the youthful offender for 
suspension of his sentence, the court may require the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development to prepare and submit to the court a 
social case study report over the offender and his family. 
“They youthful offender shall be subject to visitation and 
supervision by a representative of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development or government training institution as the Court may 
designate subject to such conditions as it may prescribe. 
“The benefits of this article shall not apply to a youthful offender 
who has once enjoyed suspension of sentence under its provisions [or to 
one who is convicted of an offense punishable by death or life 
imprisonment or to one who is convicted by the military tribunals.]” 
SEC. 4. Effectivity. 
This Act shall take effect immediately 
upon 
approval. 
Approved, 
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