Philippine juvenile justice law does not let all minors get away with serious crimes, lawyers told AFP, refuting misinformation circulating on social media. The false posts cite a murder to criticize legislation authored by a newly elected senator, but the perpetrators were sentenced to jail despite being under 18 when they committed the crime.
“Go Kiko! Thanks to RA 9344, all 18 years old and below are protected against criminal liabilities only discernment (sic), they can kill, use drugs and they won’t be held accountable by the LAW,” reads a Facebook post published May 22, 2025.
“You could be stabbed by a child in Tondo or Mandaluyong, and they can’t be jailed. THANK YOU, Senator KIKO! Because of you, all minors are protected from prosecution.”
The post refers to Senator Francis Pangilinan and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA 9344), which he authored (archived link).
It also references the 2021 murder of the Maguad siblings in Cotabato, where 18-year-old Gwynn and 16-year-old Louis were stabbed to death by their 17-year-old adopted sister (archived link). The suspect initially posed as a survivor before later admitting she committed the crime with a friend, also a minor.
The post appears to suggest the suspects were not fully held accountable due to their age, framing the law as overly lenient toward youth offenders.
“The suspects should be imprisoned for life. The justice system in the Philippines really is something,” reads the caption.
After his failed 2022 vice presidential bid, Pangilinan made a political comeback as an independent senatorial candidate in the May 12 midterm elections, which saw disappointing results for President Ferdinand Marcos’s party (archived link).
If Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial extends into the next Congress, Pangilinan will join the Senate jury in the case against his former opponent and Marcos’s former ally turned political rival, who could be permanently barred from public office if convicted.
The claim spread widely across social media, triggering reactions from users who believed the law grants blanket immunity to juvenile offenders.
“I will never vote for him,” one user said.
Another commented: “Hopefully this law gets repealed. Because of this law minors can easily commit crimes.”
But legal experts told AFP the claims misrepresent the scope of the law.
Read the full story on AFP Fact Check.