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Comment. Mendicancy Law

The document discusses the issue of mendicant syndicates exploiting children for begging in the Philippines. While the law exempts children from criminal liability for begging, criminal groups have abused this to use children as young as 4 for begging. Apprehension and custody by social services is the only sanction, but children often return to the syndicates. The law aims to apprehend exploited children and commit them to social services. However, the mendicant syndicate problem persists, questioning if apprehension alone is enough. The root cause is ineffective law implementation, not issues with the law itself. The children should be seen as victims, and focus should be on stopping the syndicates exploiting them.

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94 views1 page

Comment. Mendicancy Law

The document discusses the issue of mendicant syndicates exploiting children for begging in the Philippines. While the law exempts children from criminal liability for begging, criminal groups have abused this to use children as young as 4 for begging. Apprehension and custody by social services is the only sanction, but children often return to the syndicates. The law aims to apprehend exploited children and commit them to social services. However, the mendicant syndicate problem persists, questioning if apprehension alone is enough. The root cause is ineffective law implementation, not issues with the law itself. The children should be seen as victims, and focus should be on stopping the syndicates exploiting them.

Uploaded by

LeighTaritzGanancial
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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In accordance with Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile justice and welfare act, children

in conflict with the law are exempt from criminal liability of acts committed punishable under
PD 1563. Presidential Decree of 1563 or the Mendicancy Law of 1978 applies to all mendicants,
and exploited infants or children who are 8 years old and below, minors found begging.

One of the social problems we saw on such manner is the abuse of the syndicated
groups over the said exemption of children from criminal liability to the Mendicancy Law. The
said exemption has been abused by criminal groups who would exploit the children to beg
on the streets. There are reports made that mendicant syndicate abducts children as young
as 4 years old to be exploited as mendicant. As the children are exempted to the criminal
liability of the said law, apprehension and giving them under the custody of DSWD is the only
sanction given. Once out or escaped from custody, these children return as part of the
mendicant syndicate once more.

The Mendicancy Law suffices the said social problems with Apprehension Of And
Services For Persons Found Begging as stated in Section 4 of the same law.

Section 4. Any infants or child 8 years old and below who is found begging or is being
utilized by a mendicant for purposes of begging shall be apprehended as a neglected
child under Article 141 of PD 603 and shall be committed to the custody and care of the
Department of Social Services and Development or to any duly licensed child placement
agency or individual.

Any minor over 9 years of age under 15 found begging or is being utilized for purposes of
begging and who acted without discernment shall be apprehended as a neglected child
under Article 141 of Presidential Decree No. 603 and shall be committed to the custody
and care of the Department of Social Services and Development or to any duly licensed
placement agency or individual.

With such intervention of the Government for the said social issue, why does this
mendicant syndicate problem still exist? Is the Apprehension alone, as stated by the provisions
of the law, enough for the problem?

Removing the said criminal exemption of the child over the said law will not assure social
justice. It might cause serious repercussions over the nurture of the child been subjected of the
said criminal liability. The root of the problem is not the law but rather the effectivity of the said
laws.

By the content of our law alone, we can clearly see the crafts made by legislators are
really for the social problem it is addressing. But if there is proper implementation, there will be
no mendicant syndicate roaming around, abducting children and exploiting them as
mendicants.

We should not focus over the child mendicants as the problem, they are the victims.
Rather, focus on the mendicant syndicate who operates the child exploitation. Rendering
criminal liability over the children will not resolve the problem as they are not the problem in
the first place.

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