Lapu police may reopen bullying case

The Lapu-Lapu City police is taking a second look at the drowning of 7-year-old Joshua Veloso based on Cebu Daily News’ account of a young witness who said a neighborhood bully pushed the child into the water.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, OIC of the Lapu-Lapu police office, said his men will look for the witness and talk to him with the help of the Women’s and Child Protection Desk, since the witness is a minor.

He called up CDN and said this new “development” would be checked.

“We are one in the quest for truth and justice,” said Lawas.

The discovery of the 7-year-old witness provided some relief for the grief-stricken family of Joshua, who earlier said they were giving up on the case after an adult witness, a mother, backed off fearing retaliation from the family of the young offenders.

Alma Rocacolba, Joshua’s mother, said she plans to seek the help of the National Bureau of Investigation.

“We will wait for our lawyer’s advice. He said he will coordinate with the NBI,” she said in Cebuano.

CDN earlier interviewed a classmate of Joshua, who said he saw the grade 1 pupil being pushed into a deep part of the water in barangay Buaya by an older boy who used both hands. He said he didn’t know the bully’s name but estimated he was 15 years old.

The classmate said he watched Joshua being harassed by six boys. One was taller than Joshua, he said. Another boy struck Joshua with a palm frond (palwa).

The drowning took place near a bamboo footbridge beside coastal houses on the rocky edge of barangay Buaya. The spot where Josuha drowned had a deep portion.

Joshua was heading home from school with a friend last Feb. 29 when he was accosted by the young bullies.

Police called in six youngsters for questioning but later released them, saying nobody saw Joshua being pushed or harmed. The case was closed and considered an “accidental” drowning.

In a separate phone interview, Senior Supt. Louie Oppus, Deputy Director for Operations in the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said his office is reserving action and will let the Lapu-Lapu police handle the case.

“We would like to empower our line units to do their jobs,” Oppus told CDN.

Joshua’s death reinforced calls for a review of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA 9344), which exempts offenders aged 15 years old and below from criminal liability.

A bill proposing an Anti-Bullying Act was passed in January by the House of Representatives. HB 5496 is awaiting approval of the Senate version before it can become a law.