Baguio City—The 10-year-old boy, who was killed by his 11-year-old classmate inside their classroom last week, was laid to rest on Friday, a somber climax to a week filled with reports about violence committed on children by children.
His classmates marched with his casket when it was brought in front of their school at 8 a.m.
Their next stop was the St. Vincent Church for the boy’s final rites and Mass.
“Everyone in this church today must share the guilt in the death of this boy,” said Fr. Camilo Ongsit, who led the Mass.
“We failed to protect our children,” he said.
Directing his attention at the Grade 5 classmates of the dead boy, the priest said “what happened to him has happened to other children in other parts of the country.”
Ongsit said the children in Baguio have succumbed to the allure of computer games, violent movies and government programs like sex education.
“Why would we teach children about kissing and hugging when they have no idea what it is? What they watch and learn make them curious… [and all video games show them is] kicking, boxing, chopping, elbowing opponents,” he said. Vincent Cabreza and Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon