How do you feel about people on the streets begging for money or food? Does your generous nature tell you to give or do you believe that they should also work hard to earn a living? Mendicants are the faces of poverty. They are the reality that the world is trying to hide. You will see them carrying infants, no one can tell if those are really theirs. Some towns turn them over to development centers so they can have temporary shelter especially during special events. However, they consider the streets their home. Although the law has been in existence for decades, President Rodrigo Duterte seeks to abolish anti-mendicancy law. 

Sec. 4. Apprehension Of And Services For Persons Found Begging. 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.

Any minor over 9 years of age and under 15 who is found begging or is being utilized for the purpose of begging and who acted with discernment shall be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3, Title VIII of Presidential Decree No. 603.

Any person not otherwise covered in the preceding paragraph of this Section who is found begging and who is physically or mentally incapable of gainful occupation shall be provided the integrated package of services by the Department of Social Services and Development, the Welfare units of local governments and other cooperating agencies.

Sec. 5. Criminal Liability. A mendicant as defined in Paragraph (a) Sec. 3 hereof, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding P500.00 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 2 years or both at the discretion of the court.

A habitual mendicant shall be punished by a fine not exceeding P1,000.00 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding 4 years or both at the discretion of the court.

Parents of exploited infants or minors under Sec. 4 of this Decree shall be proceeded against in accordance with Articles 59 and 60 of Presidential Decree No. 603, unless they are themselves mendicants.

Any person who abets mendicancy by giving alms directly to mendicants, exploited infants and minors on public roads, sidewalks, parks and bridges shall be punished by a fine nor exceeding P20.00.

On October 4, 1961, back in the day when the Pangilinan Law was not yet in existence, the legal age for men and women were 16 and 14 respectively. The new generation may no longer be familiar with Marcial "Baby" Ama. However, earlier generations can recognize this notorious person, who ironically, gain folk hero status when his biography was turned into a movie in 1976.  Baby Ama was a minor executed via electric chair. He was nicknamed "Baby" because of his youthful good looks. The nickname may sound innocuous, but Marcial Perez (Baby Ama) did not fit the definition. 

Perez was imprisoned due to stealing money. It was said that he stole money to help a friend. When Perez was incarcerated, life became much harder for him. Aside from being the subject of abuse and ridicule, his wife also committed suicide due to being sexually abused by a prison guard. This is when Perez became fiercer than he was. Aside from being a hitman inside the Bilibid prison he was also the leader of a notorious gang, Sige-Sige Gang. 

He earned his notoriety when he spearheaded the biggest riot in Bilibid Prison. It was considered to be the deadliest as well with 9 inmates killed  and one of them beheaded. Perez was found guilty of stabbing a man to death. Hence, he was sentenced to death by electric chair. 

Under Section 6 of the Republic Act No. 9344 otherwise known as the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, "A child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability. However, the child shall be subjected to an intervention program pursuant to Section 20 of this Act.

A child above fifteen (15) years but below eighteen (18) years of age shall likewise be exempt from criminal liability and be subjected to an intervention program, unless he/she has acted with discernment, in which case, such child shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act.

The exemption from criminal liability herein established does not include exemption from civil liability, which shall be enforced in accordance with existing laws."

The bill lowering age of criminal responsibility from 15 years old to 9 has not received a positive response from lawmakers. Even 55% of Filipinos according to a survey conducted by Pulse Asia on May 5, 2017 are not in favor of the bill reducing the age of criminal liability. Although the age of criminal responsibility remains subjective, the fact cannot be denied that there are still minors who do not even undergo any type of due process, guilty or not guilty. That said, one cannot simply dismiss untimely death by random execution as collateral damage or worse, another "isolated case".  Once an epitome of notoriety, Baby Ama is now a case study. His behavior used to make people cringe, but in the era of war pigs, violence is the new normal.