The Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) would provide...

The Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) would provide assistance in the commutation of sentences of minors convicted and sentenced to death. Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez said DoJ prosecutors were already reviewing the cases of at least six prisoners, allegedly minors when they committed their respective offenses. Gutierrez visited the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City to look at the conditions of youth offenders.
"I talked to six minors and they were asking us if it is possible that their sentences be commuted. Our prosecutors are already reviewing the cases to find out if they were really minors at the time they committed their offenses," Gutierrez said. She refused to identify them.
Gutierrez noted that in these cases, the convicts were not able to prove their minority mainly because of their failure to provide their respective birth certificates.
Earlier, the Supreme Court referred to the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court the cases of the death convicts.
Gutierrez noted that under the law, the death sentence could not be imposed against minors.
"I think they are okay now because they have been transferred from death row to the medium security compound," Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said DoJ was pushing for the enactment of a Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Act.
Gutierrez said the proposed law called for the diversion of arrested minors from jail to either the Department of Social Welfare and Development or other agencies and responsible persons.