BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya-Following the viral footage of bullying and physical abuse to a student by seven of her fellows on July 8 at the Bambang National High School in Buag, Bambang town, school officials have recommended on Friday the transfer of five Grade 8 students to other schools.
School officials, who did not use the word expel, have arrived with the recommendation after a mediation-cum-confrontation meeting between the victim and the accused, along with families of the involved parties, Buag village and Bambang town officials, police, and schools’ division representatives.
Dr. Orlando Manuel, Nueva Vizcaya schools’ division superintendent, told reporters on Friday that the parents of the accused have accepted the misdemeanor done by their children and pledged to abide with the school order.
“The parents of the students who hit the girl had expressed full trust on the school process. If they are expelled, the word transfer has been recommended, as cited by the prefect of discipline, committed to recommend the transfer of aggressor and conduct disciplinary proceedings while awaiting approval,” he added.
The schools’ division superintendent said they would also look into the rights of the accused aside from the victim.
Manuel said they will review the recommendation of the school governance operation’s chief and the legal unit so that the recommendation for transfer of the aggressors “will be carefully evaluated by the child protection committee of the division.”
Probers revealed that the victim and the aggressors skipped their classes and had a drinking session elsewhere near the school. They later confronted the girl after she allegedly spread rumors and spoke against one of their friends. This allegedly started the physical abuse as the girl was even dragged away and pushed down the road after repeatedly slapping, spanking and kicking her. One of their fellows even took footage of the ordeal and later uploaded it online. The post later went viral.
“We will also review this and consider a case of cyberbullying due to the uploading and sharing of the video,” he added.
A trauma counselling and debriefing has also been set for the victim, accused and the bystanders who watched the happening, he said.#
