MANILA – The Malacañang on Friday urged the Ateneo de Manila University to do something on its junior high school student who was caught on video bullying a fellow student.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he is “bothered” by a viral video of a bullying incident, saying that such incident inside the classroom and school should not be allowed.
“I watched that video. I was bothered by what I saw. I think they should investigate first why there was such a one-sided fight given the fact that the one who mauled was much smaller,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“Sabi ko nga, baka may nag-trigger, kasi parang sinasabi nila the bata should undergo psychiatric exam. It should be investigated. I think the school should investigate the incidents and do something about it,” he added.
In a video that went viral on Thursday, the Ateneo High School student, who is a taekwondo athlete, was heard asking his fellow student to choose between kissing the shoes of his schoolmate or getting beaten up.
When the student refused to follow, the other student then proceeded to kick and beat him up.
“You cannot be allowing bullying inside the classroom, and school. There is a law against that,” the Palace spokesperson said.
Ateneo has conducted an urgent investigation on the bullying incident and said it would not hesitate to dismiss or expel students who may be found guilty of grave misconduct./PN
