Student dies in Negros Occidental school assault

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY—A Grade 12 student in a public school at Barangay Payao of Binalbagan town in Negros Occidental province died on Oct. 19 after he was allegedly punched by a 17-year-old schoolmate on the same day, police said.

Police Maj. Randy Babor, Binalbagan police chief, said the victim, an 18-year-old senior high school student, hit his head on the ground after the suspect attacked him with the help of the latter’s two siblings and two unidentified individuals.

The police, who withheld the names of the victim and the suspects, said the victim was taken to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in this city where he died.

Babor said the 17-year-old suspect surrendered to the police the following day and was turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the province and may face homicide charges.

The Negros Occidental provincial government has expressed its “profound sorrow” for the death of the victim.

“We strongly condemn this atrocity which now puts the school, the personnel and the learners in a bad light,” the local government said in a statement issued on Monday.

READ: In Negros Occidental, body of slain caregiver comes home from Israel

READ: 73 Negros Occidental bets asked to explain early campaigning for twin polls

Steps taken

The Department of Education (DepEd) in Negros Occidental, it said, is taking all the necessary steps to shed light on the matter and eventually to give justice to the aggrieved.

DepEd said it is committed to supporting the victim’s family and accounting for those responsible for the crime they committed.

“It recognizes the immediate actions of the school administration and staff together with the Binalbagan local government unit. The school will continue to cooperate with local law enforcement officers in its ongoing investigation until justice is served,” the department said.

DepEd assured everyone that the safety and well-being of the learners is its top priority.“Security measures and policies in all schools under its jurisdiction will be reviewed and enhanced to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again in any school in the division,” it said.

It added: “To bring back normalcy in the school community, psychosocial support services will be made available to students, staff and families who have been affected by this tragic loss.”

DepEd, as it condoled with the families and loved ones of the students involved, also appealed to the public “not to resort to bashing, public shaming, public humiliation, trial by publicity and the like as these have already severely affected both parties, their families, the school, the personnel, the learners and others who have a stake in this incident.” INQ