“Let us all calm down so we can avoid any incidents worse than this”- Pinget NHS principal appeals to public after Baguio bullying incident

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Pinget National High School Principal Johnny Kidian has appealed for calm among the relatives of the alleged victim and friends of the learners involved in the viral bullying incident, warning that anger and further confrontation could lead to an even more serious act of violence.

Kidian made the appeal after a video showing a student of Pinget National High School allegedly being assaulted circulated widely on social media, drawing strong reactions from the public and people connected to the learners involved.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 3 p.m. on August 26 outside the school and involved Grade 9 and Grade 10 students.

The video showed a student lying on the ground while another male student allegedly punched and kicked him and struck him with a belt. Several other students were also seen in the area.

As the footage spread online, comments and statements directed against the learners also surfaced on social media, prompting concern among school officials over the possibility of further confrontation.

Principal: Let everyone remain calm

In an interview, Kidian acknowledged the emotions surrounding the incident but urged the relatives of the alleged victim, as well as friends of the learners involved, to remain calm and allow authorities to handle the case.

“Most especially sa relatives ng ating victim, please calm down and also to the friends of involved learners, let us all calm down so that we can avoid any incidents that will be worse than this,” Kidian said.

He said the school has observed insults and hurtful remarks directed at the learners following the incident and the continued circulation of the video.

Kidian warned that such online reactions could further inflame the situation and potentially lead to another physical confrontation.

He appealed to those who have uploaded the footage to remove it and urged others not to repost or share it.

“We can see already the insults, the statements which are actually hurting our learners and that may escalate to another incident of physical violence,” he said.

He also stressed that continued circulation of the footage is affecting the learners, particularly those directly involved in the incident.

School condemns violence

In an earlier statement, Pinget National High School said it does not tolerate physical violence, bullying or any form of abuse and is addressing the incident through its established child-protection mechanisms.

The school's administration and Child Protection Committee are coordinating with concerned authorities and social workers in handling the case and ensuring the welfare of the learners involved.

Police pursue action

Meanwhile, the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and its Cybercrime Unit have taken steps to have online posts and videos involving the minors removed from social media platforms.

As of August 30, the BCPO said it was prepared to pursue possible legal action depending on the decision of the alleged victim's parents and the assessment of the concerned agencies.

Police are also coordinating with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) in assessing the minors involved, including whether they acted with discernment.

A five-day suspension was also imposed on the learners identified in connection with the incident, while additional interventions are being undertaken by the school and concerned agencies.

For Kidian, preventing the situation from escalating further requires the people surrounding the learners to remain calm and allow the school, police and social workers to address the matter through the proper procedures.