Suit filed vs school in classroom death

The 11-year-old Grade 5 pupil, who was implicated in the September 15 death of his 10-year-old classmate inside their classroom, has been spared from liability in a complaint filed by the victim’s parents against the principal and a supervising teacher of a Baguio elementary school, the Inquirer learned.

The older boy has been transferred to another school and is undergoing counseling, according to the city social welfare and development office.

The school officials were summoned by the city prosecutor’s office last week for preliminary investigation, said Joel Jose, president of the school’s Parent-Teachers Association.

Government sources claim the school officials face a criminal negligence complaint, but both the school and the Baguio police have declined to discuss the case.

The victim was allegedly kicked several times by the older classmate over a joke that soured. He was taken to the hospital when he fell unconscious after being shoved hard against a blackboard.

Their teacher was absent for the day, and the class was being supervised by another teacher who was holding another class nearby.

Betty Fangasan, city social welfare officer, said her office has provided the 11-year-old boy a psychologist recommended by the Philippine Mental Health Association.

“The [11-year-old boy] went back to school [after the victim’s burial, but he had to be transferred [soon after]. After the incident, he had to stay at home. He underwent a home study program. He is fine and he is coping well with the new school,” Fangasan said.

She said initial reports from the psychologist suggested that the 11-year-old boy had felt remorse for the death of his classmate.

But government psychiatrists urged the DSWD to allow the boy, and other juveniles implicated in criminal activity, to be examined further. Desiree Caluza, with a report from Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon