Students and staff of Castor Alviar National High School in Calamba City, Laguna will undergo “psychological debriefing” following the killing of Grade 7 student Mark Anthony Miranda in campus yesterday. That’s what the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd) said in its official statement on the incident released today.
According to the DepEd, the school will work with coordinators from the Regional and Division Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), guidance counselors, nurses, and the City Social Welfare and Development Office in addressing the traumatic effects of the violent incident.
They also plan to work with the school’s governing council and parent-teacher association in improving security inside the school.
School operations are set to resume on July 8, Monday.
Mark Anthony, 15 years old, was allegedly shot by his guardian Renan E. Valderama inside his classroom at around noon yesterday. He was brought to a hospital but was declared dead at around 4pm.
Calamba City police told CNN Philippines that Valderama had been Mark Anthony’s guardian ever since the boy’s mother was detained for possession of illegal drugs.
The suspect and the victim were allegedly in a relationship and lived together but according to the police, the teen had filed sexual abuse complaints against his guardian, who is estimated to be around 30 to 35 years old.
In its statement, the DepEd denounced the killing and said that the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Calamba City and the police are already investigating the suspect’s motive.
It also extended its condolences to the student’s family and said that officials of Castor Alviar National High School will assist them in settling the hospital bill and burial expenses.
