Kin of 'bullied' student in viral video files complaint before police

The family of a student in Pasig City has filed a complaint with the police after they found too light the sanction against a schoolmate who allegedly bullied him in a video that has since gone viral.

According to a 24 Oras report by Mariz Umali on Tuesday, complaints were also filed against several other students as accomplices who watched the incident.

The video of the alleged incident on Friday showed the victim, a Grade 10 student, kneeling and being forced to admit to something while being slapped and threatened.

The video showed that the incident was also witnessed by up to 11 different boys.

The alleged video has since gone viral online, and was the reason why the victim’s mother found out about the bullying.

“Pagtingin ko sa video, nagulat ako hindi ko maintindihan yung nararamdaman ko. Sabi ko sa anak ko ‘Anak, ano to?’, tapos tumingin lang po sya sa akin tapos umiyak po siya nang umiyak. Ang nakita ko doon, isang batang gustong mag-sumbong na hindi niya alam kung paano niya iaano sa magulang niya,” said the victim’s mother.

(When I saw the video, I was shocked and did not understand what I was feeling. I asked my son, ‘Son, what is this?’, and he just looked at me and cried. What I saw then was a child who wanted to tell the truth but didn’t know how to tell his parents.)

Barangay authorities said that the alleged bully was a 16-year-old schoolmate of the victim, who was forcing him to admit that he spread a conversation around.

“Ang sabi niya ‘Mommy, kasi po pinipilit po nila ako na ako yung nagpakalat ng convo na yan. Hindi naman po ako. Inabangan po nila ako sa school, inakbayan po nila ako, dinala nila ako sa isang lugar. Gusto nila, aminin ko habang nakaluhod at mag sorry ako. Pag hindi ko daw po inaamin, ‘sige isa pang hindi, isang sapak,’” she added.

(He said ‘Mommy, he was insisting that I was the one who spread that conversation. I didn’t do it. They waited for me at school, hung their arms on me and brought me to a separate area. They wanted me to admit to it while kneeling and to apologize. If I didn’t admit to it, they said ‘One more no, one more punch.’)

She also added that the viral video had already been the second incident of bullying done on the victim.

“Sabi nya, “Mommy, dalawa po yan. Nung Huwebes ginanyan na nila ko. Nagulat po ako bigla po niya kong sinampal.’ Bigla pa raw may sumapak sa kanya, dalawa. Ibang lalaki naman yun. Hindi yung isang nasa video,” she said.

(He said, ‘Mommy, this is the second time. They did it to me on Thursday, too. I was shocked when he suddenly slapped me.’ He said someone suddenly punched him, two people. It was a different guy. It wasn’t the same guy in the video.)

When the victim’s family met with the bullies’ families at the school, they claimed that the punishment of three days community service was not enough.

According to the victim’s mother, he was traumatized to the point of refusing to leave their house and attend school.

“Ang first offense, 3 days community service. Ano pong ibig sabihin noon, maglilinis ng tatlong araw? Ganun lang po ba ang hatol sa isang pambubully? First offense lang po ba yung ginawa sa anak kong pambubugbog ng 2 araw? Bakit po parang… ganun ang hustisya? Kaya po pala maraming na-bubully,” she stated.

(For the first offense, it was 3 days of community service. What does that mean, cleaning for three days? Is that the sentence for bullying? Is beating my child up for 2 days only a first offense? Why does it seem like… how is that justice? Maybe that is why there are a lot of people being bullied.)

On Tuesday, the victim’s family filed a complaint for physical injuries and violation of the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 against the alleged bullies.

“Malakas na ebidensya po yung nag-viral na video na po. ‘Yung assessment po ng mag a-assess ng kaniyang level ng kaniyang trauma magagamit din as evidence sa pag-file ng case,” said Pasig Police Public Information Officer Police Lieutenant Gina Bucalan.

(The viral video is strong evidence. The assessment of the person who will be evaluating the victim’s trauma will also be used as evidence in filing the case.)

The alleged bully and the school have refused to comment on the incident.

Meanwhile, the Pasig City Government said that they are taking the case seriously and are currently coordinating with the Pasig Schools Division Office regarding the incident. —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/NB, GMA Integrated News