A 15-YEAR-OLD student was injured after intervening to stop a bullying incident at Smile Tinikling Street, Lanzona Subdivision, Barangay Matina Aplaya on Thursday afternoon, July 16.
According to the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), the victim was identified only alias Justine, a resident of Kawayan Drive, Lanzona, Barangay 74-A.
Initial police investigation revealed that at around 4 p.m., Justine witnessed an unidentified boy, estimated to be 14-15 years old, bullying other children in the area. When Justine intervened to stop the bullying, a physical altercation broke out between the two.
During the scuffle, the suspect fled but returned shortly after armed with brass knuckles fitted with a sharp metal object. A second confrontation ensued, during which the suspect struck the victim once on the right shoulder with the weapon before fleeing the scene.
The weapon was later recovered by responding authorities.Justine was rushed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) by his 50-year-old father for immediate medical treatment.
Attending physicians classified his injuries as minor, noting that he sustained a contusion and a small abrasion on his right shoulder.
Meanwhile, the DCPO’s Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) noted that under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (RA 9344, as amended), the suspect will be exempt from criminal liability if verification proves he is 15 years old or below.
If confirmed, the case will instead be referred for appropriate intervention measures involving the child and his guardians.
Follow-up operations are currently being conducted by the police, in coordination with local barangay officials, to identify the suspect and establish his exact age for proper legal proceedings.
