THE PHILIPPINES: 16 MINORS ON DEATH ROW

it was reported that the Philippines Commission on Human Rights Chairman Wilhelm Soriano wanted to know how come there were minors on death row in the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa. He wanted answers immediately after talking to 16 of them, all between 16 and 18 years of age.
"It is so frustrating on the part of the minors to be in the same cell with hardened criminals. The environment is horrifying and they complain they do not have hope anymore, as if their lives are wasted," Soriano said after he had visited the NBP.
Another concern was that the judicial system was so slow that it might be too late for those minors to decide to reform.
The CHR kept a record account of 21 individuals meted the capital punishment while minors.
CHR was specially concerned over the possible noncompliance with the provision in the international convention that barred the death penalty for minors. The CHR was concerned over the apparent disregard on the mandate of international instruments (the Convention on the Rights of a Child and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights) that detainees, who fell under the category of children, should be separated from adults when deprived of liberty.