The Philippine government is one step closer to lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 12. President Duterte originally favoured age 9. 

President Duterte is using the excuse that children are being used as drug mules to support his stance.

Human Rights Watch Philippines has denounced this latest step by Duterte and has indicated that there is no evidence to support the president’s claims.

There has to be a working system to help children who are in conflict with the law Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch Philippines says.

Conde was asked if there was an appetite for such a bill.

Even before this bill was introduced, children were being victimized and watch groups say that a bill such as this will only lead to the criminalizing and stigmatizing of children, making them even more vulnerable.