Suspects in Pangasinan bullying incident face homicide raps

MANGALDAN, Pangasinan – The charges filed against three high school students accused of bullying and beating up their school mate will be amended to homicide following the death of the victim.

George Calimlim, 19; Jayson Soriano, 22, and Jay-Ar Biagtan, 21, Grade 12 students of Mangaldan National High School had been charged earlier with frustrated homicide, Chief Inspector Ariel Caballero, town deputy police chief, told The STAR yesterday.

 The students allegedly beat up Grade 11 student Kenneth Langit, 19, on Jan. 15. Langit died while being treated at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pangasinan schools Superintendent Donato Balderas issued a memorandum on Thursday calling on school principals to reorient students and teachers on the child protection policy of the Department of Education during their flag ceremonies.

“In addition to security measures being undertaken... by schools, this office directs all principals to design and submit measures peculiar to their school’s characteristics and needs to further enhance... existing security and safety procedures for their pupils and students,” Balderas said.