DAVAO CITY — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte dismissed former senator and now congressional hopeful Leila de Lima’s opposition to Senator Robin Padilla’s proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, saying De Lima has always had her own way of doing things but with little to show for it.  

Duterte, in a brief interview Friday, reacted to De Lima’s criticism of the proposed measure, which seeks to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 to 12 years old. De Lima, who is attempting a political comeback after her recent acquittal in the last of her drug cases, called the measure “inhumane” and “unconstitutional.”  But Duterte was unfazed.  

“Kabalo mo kana si Congresswoman (Leila) de Lima, naa na syay kaugalingong opinion nya pirmi. Wa pud ko kabalo unsa iyang adbokasiya. Sukad pa sa una panahon ni PNoy, wa ko kabalo,” Duterte said.  “Hawod ra na syag imbestigasyon pero wa pu’y nahuman gyud. Wa ko kaila ana nya,” he added, referencing De Lima’s time as chair of the Commission on Human Rights and later as Justice Secretary during the Aquino administration.  

While Duterte did not explicitly state whether he supports Padilla’s proposal, he emphasized that public safety and justice for crime victims — including those committed by minors used by syndicates — must be considered in any discussion on criminal liability.  

Senator Padilla’s bill has reignited debate on juvenile justice, with children’s rights advocates and progressive lawmakers opposing it, arguing that it shifts the burden of accountability to children instead of addressing root causes such as poverty, exploitation, and lack of social services.  

Meanwhile, some lawmakers, particularly those allied with the Duterte bloc, have expressed openness to the bill, citing rising cases of minors being involved in crimes.