April 17, 2026
MANILA – For nearly a decade, official data showed a steady decline in cases involving children in conflict with the law, or CICL, in the Philippines.
According to the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC), cases fell to 4,383 in 2024 from 26,850 in 2017 — an 84% decrease following the implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, which promotes diversion and rehabilitation.
More recent figures, however, indicate an increase.
Data analyzed by Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao, a University of the Philippines Diliman associate professor and INQUIRER data scientist, show that as of June 2025, CICL cases reached 5,698, exceeding the total recorded for all of 2024. Panao said the increase “suggests that the progress of the last decade could be overturned by new waves of post-pandemic instability.”
What the data show
A breakdown of JJWC data by type of offense shows theft and robbery consistently rank among the most common cases involving minors. Panao said the JJWC links these patterns “to economic vulnerability and the need to survive.”
He noted that while the pandemic years saw a temporary, lockdown-induced decline in street crime, rape cases increased during the same period.
In 2020, rape cases accounted for 21% of CICL reports. Panao said this reflected “a grim implication of the dangers children faced behind closed doors when Covid inadvertently locked them down with their abusers.”
“During lockdowns, increased time at home with reduced supervision created more opportunities for abuse and rape of minors, often involving perpetrators living with the victim and who were sometimes minors themselves,” he explained.
In 2021, physical injury cases accounted for 20% of total CICL reports. Panao said this coincided with “economic insecurity and homelessness” that heightened adolescents’ exposure to violence and risky relationships. He added that the increase reflected “a shift toward community tensions” as lockdowns eased.
“The nature of these crimes is both controversial and telling, exposing a society grappling with deep economic desperation,” Panao said.
How the law is applied
Republic Act No. 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, provides the legal framework for handling CICL cases, emphasizing diversion, intervention and rehabilitation.
Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said the law does not remove accountability.
“If there is wrongdoing, there should be accountability — that’s true. But it is not true that child offenders are easily let go because of the Juvenile Justice Law,” he said, noting that mechanisms such as Bahay Pag-Asa centers are part of the system.
“What we need now is not amendments to the law but additional funds and support for this program,” he added.
Officials have also said children undergo structured processes depending on their age and the nature of the offense, including diversion programs and intervention measures.
Still, the issue of how to address youth offenses remains part of ongoing policy discussions.
Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima previously said: “A child is not a criminal. A lost child should not be locked up but talked to, cared for, and given hope.”
Enforcement on the ground
The data comes as authorities continue to enforce local ordinances under the “Safer Cities” initiative. Police reported tens of thousands of apprehensions since the program began in April 2026, including minors cited for curfew violations.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said enforcement of minor violations is part of a broader crime-prevention strategy.
“These minor violations are often the breeding ground for bigger crimes, so we are nipping them in the bud,” he said.
The campaign has also drawn criticism. Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan spokesperson Milo Basuel said police “roundly characterized those they arrested as hoodlums, leading to widespread profiling and illegal arrests.”
Kabataan Rep. Renee Co described curfew guidelines as “openly anti-poor and elitist.”
In an editorial, the Philippine Daily Inquirer said focusing on minor violations may overlook broader concerns, including “joblessness, hunger, and an escalating fuel crisis.”
Latest figures
As of mid-2025, JJWC data cited in Panao’s analysis show a higher number of CICL cases compared with the previous year’s total.
Full-year data for 2025 are not yet available, but Panao said the midyear figures serve as “a loud warning that the nation’s juvenile safety nets are fraying,” adding that without timely intervention, “a decade of hard-won progress for the Philippines’ most vulnerable children may simply vanish.” /dm