MANILA, Philippines - A man slipped into a public high school in Barangay Pamplona, Las Piñas City Friday afternoon and attacked a 17-year-old student he accused of being a bully.
Leandro Sarno Jr., 24, was arrested shortly after the incident along with his companion, Justine Mejia, 18.
In a report sent to the Southern Police District, Las Piñas police chief Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said the victim was about to leave Las Piñas East High School at around 12:40 p.m. when he encountered Sarno.
Investigators said Sarno slapped, punched and kicked the victim and then drew a handgun and pointed it at the student. When the attack caught the attention of other students, Sarno left the school grounds and rode a motorcycle driven by Mejia.
The victim sought the help of police officers patrolling the area. The police officers caught the two males and seized a loaded 9mm pistol from Sarno. During the investigation, Sarno told police he attacked the victim as “payback” because the victim allegedly bullied his friend, a student at the same school.
Sarno and Mejia have been detained at the Las Piñas police headquarters as grave threat and child abuse charges are being readied against them.
Philippine Psychiatric Association spokesperson Dr. Babes Arcenas said bullying should be addressed the first time it occurs to let the bully know that he does not have power over the one that he or she is bullying. Arcenas said bullying is encouraged and intensified when the bully receives the message that he or she can repeat the act as if the perpetrator is in control of the situation.
"The first time it is done, show that you can fight back. You have to show that you are in control because if they see you crying, they will think they have power over you. You should be able to tell them to leave you alone or you will report them to the authorities," Arcenas said in a phone interview.
Among women, the most common form of bullying that they receive attacks on the emotions such as gossip. On men, it often involves physical harm. Bullying.org lists down other forms of bullying such as Verbal (name-calling), Physical, Social (leaving someone out of a game or group on purpose), Extortion (stealing someone's money or toys) and Cyberbullying or bullying via the Internet, mobile phones and others. "Bullies come in all shapes and sizes and ages. Anyone can be a bully – even you. Kids usually become bullies because they are unhappy inside for some reason or don’t know how to get along with other kids," the online resource said.
According to Arcenas, bullying is considered a problem in behavior often caused by familial problems and sometimes, psychological problems. "The problem sometimes lies in the family itself. If you provide love and attention to the kids, then they know they are in a safe place. If they don’t get it inside the home, they will try to get attention or love somewhere else."
The targets of bullies are often the ones who are 'alone' and those who appear to be nerdy, small in stature or those who are perceived as weak in personality. Victims often suffer from anxiety and may develop low self-esteem or lost of self-confidence. "If the bullying is addressed and intervention is given early on, there is hope that it would stop. The one being bullied should talk about it to his or her parents and to school authorities," Arcenas said.
Source: The Philippine Star & Manila Bulletin
