Whenever detention is necessary, a child will always be detained in youth detention homes
established by local governments, pursuant to Section 8 of the Family Courts Act, in the city or
municipality where the child resides.
In the absence of a youth detention home, the child in conflict with the law may be committed to the
care of the DSWD or a local rehabilitation center recognized by the government in the province, city
or municipality within the jurisdiction of the court. The center or agency concerned shall be
responsible for the child's appearance in court whenever required.
SEC. 37. Diversion Measures. - Where the maximum penalty imposed by law for the offense with
which the child in conflict with the law is charged is imprisonment of not more than twelve (12) years,
regardless of the fine or fine alone regardless of the amount, and before arraignment of the child in
conflict with the law, the court shall determine whether or not diversion is appropriate.
SEC. 38. Automatic Suspension of Sentence. - Once the child who is under eighteen (18) years
of age at the time of the commission of the offense is found guilty of the offense charged, the court
shall determine and ascertain any civil liability which may have resulted from the offense committed.
However, instead of pronouncing the judgment of conviction, the court shall place the child in conflict
with the law under suspended sentence, without need of application: Provided, however, That
suspension of sentence shall still be applied even if the juvenile is already eighteen years (18) of age
or more at the time of the pronouncement of his/her guilt.
Upon suspension of sentence and after considering the various chcumstances of the child, the court
shall impose the appropriate disposition measures as provided in the Supreme Court Rule on
Juveniles in Conflict with the Law.
SEC. 39. Discharge of the Child in Conflict with the Law. - Upon the recommendation of the
social worker who has custody of the child, the court shall dismiss the case against the child whose
sentence has been suspended and against whom disposition measures have been issued, and shall
order the final discharge of the child if it finds that the objective of the disposition measures have
been fulfilled.
The discharge of the child in conflict with the law shall not affect the civil liability resulting from the
commission of the offense, which shall be enforced in accordance with law.
SEC. 40. Return of the Child in Conflict with the Law to Court. - If the court finds that the
objective of the disposition measures imposed upon the child in conflict with the law have not been
fulfilled, or if the child in conflict with the law has willfully failed to comply with the conditions of
his/her disposition or rehabilitation program, the child in conflict with the law shall be brought before
the court for execution of judgment.
If said child in conflict with the law has reached eighteen (18) years of age while under suspended
sentence, the court shall determine whether to discharge the child in accordance with this Act, to
order execution of sentence, or to extend the suspended sentence for a certain specified period or
until the child reaches the maximum age of twenty-one (21) years.
SEC. 41. Credit in Service of Sentence. - The child in conflict with the law shall be credited in the
services of his/her sentence with the full time spent in actual commitment and detention under this
Act.
SEC. 42. Probation as an Alternative to Imprisonment. - The court may, after it shall have
convicted and sentenced a child in conflict with the law, and upon application at any time, place the
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