BACOLOD CITY - Two Grade 12 students were injured after allegedly stabbed by two students under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) near a school in Barangay Aguisan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, August 11.

According to Corporal Cristel Estonina, investigator of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD), the two victims were about to enter their school after a lunch break, when the 17-year-old victim was confronted by a 15-year-old junior high school student regarding a commotion involving his younger brother and a teenage group.

The suspect allegedly challenged the victim into a fistfight, but the latter ignored. This irked the suspect, leading him to allegedly punch the victim.

A commotion then escalated when the suspect's 14-year-old brother took a ballpen and allegedly stabbed the victim.

The victim's 16-year-old companion intervened to pacify them, but he was also reportedly stabbed, hitting his hand.

The older victim was hit in the neck, chest, and back, and is recuperating in a hospital, according to Estonina.

Estonina said the younger suspect told his older brother about a previous commotion, prompting the latter to put up a revenge for his brother.

However, she noted that the two victims were not involved in the previous commotion.

The older victim and the older suspect are friends, and figured in violence for the first time.

Estonina said the involved are now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), pending the decision of the victims' families on the filing of physical injury charges.

Following the incident, police added security in the area to prevent the same incident.

Meanwhile, the school in a statement, clarified that the incident happened outside the school campus during lunch break. It assured that they maintain established safety and security measures, including daily bag checking and student monitoring within the campus.

In light of the recent incident, the school said that it has taken steps to further strengthen its security and monitoring measures in coordination with the barangay and other appropriate authorities.

The school appealed to everyone to refrain from spreading unverified information or speculation while the appropriate authorities continue their investigation.

This follows a reported shooting threat involving a student in neighboring Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental that alarmed some students and parents on Monday.

The student has been identified, and is being probed by school authorities. Police have beefed up their security in the area.

These incidents were among those recent violent cases involving students in the province.