By Glazyl Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – Police said the stabbing of a Grade 9 student in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, June 23, stemmed from grudges between rival teenage groups.
Investigators found that tensions between the groups had flared earlier in the day after a commotion broke out in a public restroom in Barangay Palampas.
The dispute carried over after class dismissal, leading to the attack outside a school in Barangay 2.
The 17-year-old victim sustained a stab wound in the lower right abdomen and is now recovering in a hospital.
Authorities arrested the 17-year-old suspect shortly after the incident and recovered the knife believed to have been used.
Police Lt. Col. Nazer Canja, San Carlos police chief, said the victim had already reported feeling threatened to his adviser, who instructed him to stay on campus until his guardian arrived.
However, the student left the school grounds, where the confrontation occurred.
Because both the victim and suspect are minors, the case is being handled under child protection and juvenile justice procedures by the Women and Children Protection Desk.
Authorities stressed that the stabbing was fueled by unresolved grudges between youth groups, underscoring the need for parents, schools, and community leaders to guide young people toward peaceful conflict resolution.
