Two students wounded in Himamaylan stabbing

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The families of two Grade 12 students are considering filing physical injury complaints against two Alternative Learning System students accused of stabbing them near their school in Barangay Aguisan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday.

Police Cpl. Cristel Estonina, an investigator with the Women and Children Protection Desk, said the victims were returning to school after eating lunch outside the campus when a 15-year-old confronted the 17-year-old victim.

The confrontation allegedly stemmed from an earlier altercation involving the suspect’s younger brother and a group of teenagers.

The 15-year-old allegedly challenged the victim to a fistfight, but the victim ignored him.

The suspect then allegedly punched the victim.

The confrontation escalated when the suspect’s 14-year-old brother took out a pen and allegedly stabbed the 17-year-old.

The victim’s 16-year-old companion tried to stop the confrontation but was also allegedly stabbed in the hand.

The 17-year-old suffered wounds to his neck, chest and back and was recovering at a hospital, Estonina said.

Estonina said the younger suspect had told his older brother about the earlier altercation, prompting the 15-year-old to seek revenge.

However, she said neither victim was involved in the earlier confrontation.

Estonina said the 17-year-old victim and the 15-year-old suspect were friends and had no known history of involvement in violence.

The two minors accused in the attack were placed in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development while authorities awaited the victims’ families’ decision on whether to file complaints, Estonina said.

Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, children 15 or younger are exempt from criminal liability but may be required to undergo intervention programs. The exemption does not eliminate possible civil liability.

Police increased security in the area following the incident to prevent similar attacks.

The school said the stabbing happened outside its campus during the lunch break.

It said safety measures, including daily bag inspections and student monitoring, were already in place on campus.

The school said it had taken additional steps to strengthen security and monitoring in coordination with barangay officials and other authorities.

It also appealed to the public to avoid spreading unverified information or speculation while authorities investigate the incident.

The stabbing followed a reported school shooting threat involving a student in neighboring Kabankalan City that alarmed students and parents on Monday.

School officials identified the student linked to the threat and opened an investigation, while police increased security in the area.

The Negros incidents came less than two months after two students allegedly opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, killing three students and injuring 20 others, according to police reports.