Ateneo de Manila University student dismissed for bullying schoolmates

The Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines has released a statement revealing the punishment it has decided to impose a junior high school student for bullying other students in school. On December 23, 2018, the school took to Facebook to explain the decision.

“After a thorough investigation that included listening to all parties involved, the decision of the administration is to impose the penalty of DISMISSAL on the student caught bullying another student in the comfort room of the school,” Ateneo de Manila University president Jose Ramon T. Villarin said in the statement. “This means that he is no longer allowed to come back to the Ateneo.”

Apparently, the student will be punished only for one incident of bullying. There were other videos of him bullying other victims but were not mentioned in the statement.

Senator Sonny Angara noticed that only one bullying incident was dealt with. He took to Twitter to ask Villarin to also act on the other incidents.

Great letter/decision by Fr Jett; pls act on the other incidents too 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 Kid may be gone but victims/parents may need counseling too https://t.co/8MGYH9ubgT

— Sonny Angara (@sonnyangara) December 23, 2018

What made the bullying videos even more controversial is the fact that the attacker is a taekwondo practitioner. He won a gold medal in sparring during the Quezon City Athletic Association (QCAA) Championships on November 30, 2016, according to the Ateneo de Manila University website.

The attacker has an older brother who is also a taekwondo practitioner studying at the Ateneo de Manila University. The latter won a gold medal for the -63 kg welterweight category in the Quezon City New Face Taekwondo championship held at Fisher Mall in Quezon City, according to the school’s website.

It is Villarin’s responsibility to implement and oversee the school’s anti-bullying policy, according to the Republic Act 10627. Also known as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, which was signed into law by Philippines’ 15th president Benigno Aquino III on September 6, 2013, the law requires all Philippine elementary and secondary schools to adopt an anti-bullying policy and provide students and their parents or guardians a copy of the policy.