Manila, May 22 -- The Supreme Court (SC) has called the attention of lawmakers for possible changes on "incongruent" penalties for lascivious acts against minors under a special law.
In a statement, the court said it has directed that a copy of its March 12, 2019 decision in People v. Tulagan, be furnished to Congress as reference for possible statutory amendments on the maximum penalty for lascivious conduct under Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).
The Court explained its concern that despite the intent of RA 7610 to provide for deterrence and protection against child abuse, the penalty for violations when the victim is under 12 years old is lower than the penalty when t...