THE PARENTS of a junior high school student who was mauled inside a university campus earlier this month intend to file criminal charges against the 15-year-old suspect, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) confirmed.
DCPO spokesperson PMAJ Teresita Gaspan said police investigators verified that both the victim and the suspect involved in the Nov. 5 assault are Grade 9 (third-year high school) minors.
While investigators are still determining the motive behind the attack, Gaspan said the victim’s family has already been briefed on the investigation and intends to pursue legal action.
“The parents have decided they will be filing a case considering the age of the CICL [child in conflict with the law] is 15 years old. So, we are waiting for the discernment and the assessment that the social worker will conduct,” Gaspan said, referring to the legal evaluation required under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act on criminal liability.
The police update follows an official statement from the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) confirming that the primary student responsible for the assault at its Matina junior high school campus has been dismissed after a thorough internal review of the incident.
AdDU added that its Junior High School Child Protection Committee is still investigating the possible involvement of other students in the incident, which drew widespread attention after a video of the assault circulated online.
Recently, AdDU stated that it has endorsed the case to the Department of Education (DepEd) and is reviewing its campus safeguards in accordance with the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10627).
