Department of Education 11 (DepEd 11) spokesperson Jenielito “Dodong” Atillo said the agency will enforce appropriate anti-bullying sanction against a student accused of mauling a fellow student in a public school in Davao City.
A video of the bullying incident went viral online showing a student in a red t-shirt being beaten up by another student while other students watched.
According to Atillo the school is already investigating the said incident and once DepEd 11 ascertained the veracity of the report and the incident, the child protection and anti-bullying policies will be employed.
“The school’s child protection committee (CPP) will take the lead in taking appropriate actions under regulations,” he said in a Facebook message.
Atillo is referring to DepEd Order (DO) No. 55 s. of 2013 or the Implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10627 otherwise known as The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 which requires all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions. which covers all public and private kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools and learning centers.
Section 3 provides that any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing, shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, inflicting school pranks, teasing, fighting, and the use of available objects as weapons.
For disciplinary measures, Section 10 states that all public and private schools shall include in the school’s child protection or anti-bullying policy a range of disciplinary administrative actions that may be taken against the perpetrator of bullying or retaliation. Among the measures is a written reprimand, community service, suspension, exclusion, or expulsion, following the existing rules and regulations of the school or of the Department of public schools, may be imposed.
