Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday urged Congress to carefully reevaluate the proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility, saying that it may deter drug syndicates from using children in their operations.

In his speech during the summit on the dangerous drugs law at the Manila Hotel, Guevarra cited that some laws are being exploited by criminals and the proposals to reduce the age of criminal responsibility “must be carefully considered” as part of the government’s efforts to combat the illegal drug trade.

The Justice secretary explained that the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 — which exempts children aged 15 and below from criminal responsibility — has been used by drug dealers and syndicates “who have used children as drug couriers precisely because of the protection granted to them by law.”

“As it now stands, the law enacted to protect and care for our children has incentivized their exploitation and engagement into the shady world of drug trafficking and dealing,” said Guevarra.

To recall, a proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 years old was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives of the 17th Congress. But the same measure is pending at the committee level of the 18th Congress.