Davao del Norte Catholic school probes alleged student bullying caught on video
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
TAGUM CITY — The management of a Catholic-run school here has announced it has conducted a “disciplinary investigation” over a bullying case involving its senior high school students.
In a statement posted on its social media page, Saint Mary’s College of Tagum Inc. (SMCTI) also appealed to the public “to refrain from spreading speculation and unfounded information regarding the case.”
A video surfaced over social media on Thursday, May 4, of a group of senior high school students being beaten up by a larger group of students in the school’s comfort room.
The video has since been taken down.
It was not immediately known who took the video and uploaded it.
According to reports, the incident happened on Thursday when four Grade 11 students were attacked by over a dozen Grade 12 students for an unknown reason.
READ: School bullies: Unbearable scourge to Filipino families
The SMCTI did not provide details about the alleged incident.
“As a Catholic institution, we at St. Mary’s College of Tagum, Inc., are always faithful to the values we promote and teach, manifested in our Vision, Mission, and Key Directions.”
“Hence, in light of the bullying case that spread across social media, we have already conducted a disciplinary investigation relating to the case,” the school statement reads.
The school, run by the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Sisters and is among the oldest Catholic institutions in Davao region, said it was “doing its best to conduct a fair investigation,” adding “any form of bullying is against the values that we teach.”
The school said it does not tolerate bullying, and “will respond to such cases accordingly.”
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