PNP willing to resolve Ateneo bullying incident
Published Dec 21, 2018 05:30 pm
By Martin SadongdongÂ
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is welcome to any coordination should the management of the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) seeks law enforcers' assistance to resolve the reported bullying incident inside the premises of the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School (AJHS), a ranking police officer disclosed Friday.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Under the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, Supt. Kimberly Molitas, PNP deputy spokesperson, said it is originally the job of the school administrators to take the first action in resolving cases of bullying which happened in their areas of jurisdiction.
However, Molitas said the PNP will be ready to assist them should the management of ADMU elevates the case to higher authorities, including to the police.
"Meron tayong Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 that defines the procedure on how we go about bullying at nakasaad doon, unang magtake action 'yung ating school administrators muna (We have the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 that defines the procedure on how we go about bullying and it was stated there that the first action shall be taken by the school administrators)," Molitas told reporters in an interview in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
"Upon determination of the case or the incident, it is their job to inform the law enforcement body. Inaantay po natin 'yung school administration ng Ateneo na siguro to inform or coordinate sa ating mga kapulisan if they find it necessary for the intervention of our law enforcement body doon sa case na 'yun (Upon determination of the case or the incident, it is their job to inform the law enforcement body. We are awaiting for the Ateneo's school administration to probably inform or coordinate with our cops if they find it necessary for the intervention of our law enforcement body in that particular case)," she added.
Earlier this week, a video of an Ateneo de Manila Junior High School went viral in social media after he was shown punching another student inside a comfort room. After the first video was released online, several other clips of the same boy attacking other students were also publicized by social media users, prompting an investigation by the Ateneo management.
In a statement released Thursday, Ateneo de Manila University president Jose Ramon Villarin assured the public that an investigation was already conducted on the incidents of violence involving a minor student.
He said the Junior High School Committee on Discipline has since been making meetings when the incident was first reported. He also requested the university community to "be mindful of the consequences spiraling out of control when specific videos and comments are shared on social media."
"Let me be very clear: the school does not condone such behavior. We have our codified standards of conduct and all students are made aware of these and their rights and responsibilities," he added.
'Stand up vs. bullying'
Meanwhile, the PNP encouraged victims of bullying and their families to stand up against bullying even if it is a difficult thing to do.
"We, of course, encourage families or victims or children na huwag matakot to report kung nabubully sila sa kanilng mga school administrators para maaksyunan at mabigyan sila ng kaukulang tulong ng school administrator and, if needed, ng ating law enforcers (We, of course, encourage families of victims or children not to be afraid to report to authorities if they are being bullied so that they can be given assistance by the school administrators and, if needed, by our law enforcers)," Molitas said.
"We do hope that there will be coordination the soonest possible time para makita ho natin kung ano pwede natin maitulong. Remember these are children at gusto natin hindi na maulit at mabigyan ng tamang intervention yung incident na yun para hindi na maulit pa at hindi na mangyari sa ibang bata (We do hope that there will be coordination the soonest possible time so that we can determine what help we can give. Remember these are children and we don't want it to happen again, and we want to give appropriate intervention so that this won't have a repeat and this won't be experienced by other children)," she added.
The PNP also encouraged the Ateneo administration to expedite the investigation on the incident as she asked the public to refrain from sharing the videos of bullying online since it will do more harm than good later on.
"I think we have to allow the independence of the school administration to do the process or do the initial investigation. Ang sa atin lang maganda siguro na mas mabilis ang action, mas maganda para makita natin kung ano ba talaga 'yung nangyari (I think we have to allow the independence of the school administration to do the process or do the initial investigation. On our part, it is better if the action would be fast for us to determine what really happened)," Molitas noted.
"Although of course there is a video that has been circulating, we want to make sure na sana yung hinihingi rin ng Ateneo na tulungan sila na tumigil na 'yung pagkalat ng video. Importante na bigyan natin ng privacy both the perpetrator and the victim dahil tandaan po natin mga bata po ito. 'Yung tamang intervention ang kailangan maibigay po natin kaagad (Although of course there is a video that has been circulating, we want to help Ateneo in their plea to stop the spread of the video. It is important that we give privacy both to the perpetrator and the victim because we should remember that these are all children. The appropriate intervention is what we should give them immediately)," she concluded.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Under the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, Supt. Kimberly Molitas, PNP deputy spokesperson, said it is originally the job of the school administrators to take the first action in resolving cases of bullying which happened in their areas of jurisdiction.
However, Molitas said the PNP will be ready to assist them should the management of ADMU elevates the case to higher authorities, including to the police.
"Meron tayong Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 that defines the procedure on how we go about bullying at nakasaad doon, unang magtake action 'yung ating school administrators muna (We have the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 that defines the procedure on how we go about bullying and it was stated there that the first action shall be taken by the school administrators)," Molitas told reporters in an interview in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
"Upon determination of the case or the incident, it is their job to inform the law enforcement body. Inaantay po natin 'yung school administration ng Ateneo na siguro to inform or coordinate sa ating mga kapulisan if they find it necessary for the intervention of our law enforcement body doon sa case na 'yun (Upon determination of the case or the incident, it is their job to inform the law enforcement body. We are awaiting for the Ateneo's school administration to probably inform or coordinate with our cops if they find it necessary for the intervention of our law enforcement body in that particular case)," she added.
Earlier this week, a video of an Ateneo de Manila Junior High School went viral in social media after he was shown punching another student inside a comfort room. After the first video was released online, several other clips of the same boy attacking other students were also publicized by social media users, prompting an investigation by the Ateneo management.
In a statement released Thursday, Ateneo de Manila University president Jose Ramon Villarin assured the public that an investigation was already conducted on the incidents of violence involving a minor student.
He said the Junior High School Committee on Discipline has since been making meetings when the incident was first reported. He also requested the university community to "be mindful of the consequences spiraling out of control when specific videos and comments are shared on social media."
"Let me be very clear: the school does not condone such behavior. We have our codified standards of conduct and all students are made aware of these and their rights and responsibilities," he added.
'Stand up vs. bullying'
Meanwhile, the PNP encouraged victims of bullying and their families to stand up against bullying even if it is a difficult thing to do.
"We, of course, encourage families or victims or children na huwag matakot to report kung nabubully sila sa kanilng mga school administrators para maaksyunan at mabigyan sila ng kaukulang tulong ng school administrator and, if needed, ng ating law enforcers (We, of course, encourage families of victims or children not to be afraid to report to authorities if they are being bullied so that they can be given assistance by the school administrators and, if needed, by our law enforcers)," Molitas said.
"We do hope that there will be coordination the soonest possible time para makita ho natin kung ano pwede natin maitulong. Remember these are children at gusto natin hindi na maulit at mabigyan ng tamang intervention yung incident na yun para hindi na maulit pa at hindi na mangyari sa ibang bata (We do hope that there will be coordination the soonest possible time so that we can determine what help we can give. Remember these are children and we don't want it to happen again, and we want to give appropriate intervention so that this won't have a repeat and this won't be experienced by other children)," she added.
The PNP also encouraged the Ateneo administration to expedite the investigation on the incident as she asked the public to refrain from sharing the videos of bullying online since it will do more harm than good later on.
"I think we have to allow the independence of the school administration to do the process or do the initial investigation. Ang sa atin lang maganda siguro na mas mabilis ang action, mas maganda para makita natin kung ano ba talaga 'yung nangyari (I think we have to allow the independence of the school administration to do the process or do the initial investigation. On our part, it is better if the action would be fast for us to determine what really happened)," Molitas noted.
"Although of course there is a video that has been circulating, we want to make sure na sana yung hinihingi rin ng Ateneo na tulungan sila na tumigil na 'yung pagkalat ng video. Importante na bigyan natin ng privacy both the perpetrator and the victim dahil tandaan po natin mga bata po ito. 'Yung tamang intervention ang kailangan maibigay po natin kaagad (Although of course there is a video that has been circulating, we want to help Ateneo in their plea to stop the spread of the video. It is important that we give privacy both to the perpetrator and the victim because we should remember that these are all children. The appropriate intervention is what we should give them immediately)," she concluded.