The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) on Thursday rejected claims that the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act gives minors a free pass to commit crimes, stressing that children in conflict with the law remain subject to court-ordered intervention and rehabilitation.

Speaking during a media forum in Quezon City, JJWC Executive Director Atty. Tricia Claire Oco said many minors mistakenly believe they will simply be released after being interviewed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

"Some of the children that we interview get shocked. They think that after they get interviewed by the DSWD then they get to go home. The children are misinformed," Oco said.

"The law states that it is not a free pass for kids to commit a crime," she added.

Oco explained that children aged 15 and below who are involved in serious or repeat offenses may be committed by the court to a Bahay Pag-asa facility, where they undergo intervention programs instead of criminal prosecution.

The Philippines has 117 DSWD-accredited Bahay Pag-asa facilities that provide psychosocial support, education, vocational training, counseling and family reintegration programs.

Meanwhile, children aged above 15 but below 18 may still be held criminally liable if authorities establish that they acted with discernment, or the capacity to distinguish right from wrong and understand the consequences of their actions.

Oco also cited studies conducted by the JJWC from 2016 to 2025 showing that most children in conflict with the law were between 16 and 17 years old.

The council recorded rape as the most common offense involving minors, accounting for 4,080 cases or 62 percent of those studied during the period, followed by 774 murder cases.

According to the JJWC, poverty, lack of parental supervision, exposure to violence, poor emotional regulation, family and peer conflicts, and negative social media influences are among the factors commonly associated with juvenile offending.

Oco added that parents may also face civil or criminal liability in cases where negligence contributed to a child's actions.

She said the parents of the minors involved in the recent Tacloban City school shooting were themselves shocked by the incident and are now dealing with public backlash.

Social Welfare Crisis Intervention Program Director Edwin Morata, meanwhile, noted that the establishment of Bahay Pag-asa facilities is a shared responsibility between the DSWD and local government units, acknowledging that not all provinces and highly urbanized cities have complied with the requirement.