Ateneo student bullied in video ‘chose true sense of dignity,’ his parents say
Credit to Author: jespinosa| Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2018 02:02:11 +0000
MANILA, Philippines — The parents of the Ateneo student who was seen being bullied in a video said that their son should not be pitied after the incident for he showed a strong moral foundation.
After days since the video of the bullying incident went viral on social media, the parents of the boy being bullied finally spoke up regarding the issue.
In a statement, the parents said that their son “chose his true sense of dignity” despite the situation that he was in.
The parents also noted that the bully’s definition of dignity “was a far more than a degrading option.”
In several viral videos, an Ateneo Junior High School student was seen verbally and physically attacking other students.
“Bugbog o dignidad? (Assault or dignity?),” a student asks another student in a video, prodding the victim to choose.
“Our son was asked by the bully to make a choice. From the bully’s own words, ‘Ano ang gusto mo, dignidad o bugbog?’ (What do you prefer, dignity or beating?) – but in the bully’s definition, choosing ‘dignidad’ was a far more degrading option, one that would subject our son to inhumane treatment and abuse,” the parents said.
In the video, the bully was saying that if the victim would choose to lose his dignity, he would have to kiss the private part of the bully and his shoes.
“Thus, our son chose his true sense of dignity – choosing instead to be subjected to physical assault rather than surrender his self-respect. And that is what we are fighting for. Our dignity,” they added.
According to the parents, they wished the public to remember their son as someone who tried to fight back against the bullies and not in a negative way.
The identity of the victim was not disclosed as the parents believe that he “does not deserve to be memorialized as the ‘bullied boy from Ateneo.’”
“We want you to see that he is not a loser and that he does not deserve to be pitied; rather, he should be exalted for his sense of dignity and justice beyond his years,”
The family then encouraged other victims of bullying to stand up and keep their dignity.
“Let every bully know that there is justice, and that crimes against the innocent will not prosper. Let every bully know that there is a God who favors the humble and the weak,” the family said.
“With this I say to all the children who had been bullied, and to all the parents whose child had been pushed against the wall, ‘never give up!’ Let your voices be heard. Let us not give up the very essence of our being. Our dignity,” it added.
The administration of Ateneo has already ordered the dismissal of the bully kid after a thorough investigation. /je
READ: Ateneo kicks out bully student after ‘thorough investigation’
