BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A highly publicized bullying incident involving minors in Baguio City has reached an amicable settlement, with the families of the student involved agreeing on financial penalties, public apologies and commitments aimed at preventing another incident.
The agreement was reached on Friday, September 4, roughly a week after a video of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Under the settlement, the families of the minors involved will collectively pay P800,000 in fines, with each family’s share determined according to the respective participation of their child in the incident.
The minors are also required to issue a public apology before the victim’s family, barangay officials and police officers.
During the apology, the students acknowledged that their actions were wrong and asked forgiveness from the victim, his family and the elders who helped mediate the dispute.
They also committed to avoiding similar behavior in the future and to reporting bullying or comparable incidents instead of becoming participants.
Victim chooses forgiveness after traumatic incident
The victim’s mother said she consulted her child before deciding whether to pursue the matter further.
She said the student, who experienced trauma following the incident, chose to forgive those involved and continue his education.
The mother said she also considered the future of the minors involved and hoped the settlement would give them an opportunity to learn from what happened.
The student likewise said he had forgiven the other minors and expressed hope that no other student would experience a similar incident.
The family has appealed to the public to respect their decision and to stop circulating videos or other material related to the incident online.
Viral video sparks wider concern over bullying in Baguio
The settlement comes after a video involving students from Pinget National High School attracted widespread attention online.
Earlier, the school urged the public not to share, repost or circulate the footage because the people involved are minors.
School officials warned that continued distribution could expose the children to public humiliation, online harassment, cyberthreats and further psychological trauma.
The incident also prompted authorities to investigate reports of student violence in the city.
According to earlier reporting by the Philippine Star, Baguio police were investigating two separate bullying incidents involving high school students after videos circulated online. One involved Grade 9 and Grade 10 students, while another reportedly involved a Grade 7 student who was attacked by three Grade 9 students.
GMA News also reported that DepEd had activated its child-protection mechanisms following the viral incident and said learners involved would receive appropriate psychosocial and medical support. DepEd emphasized that violence against students would not be tolerated and said it would cooperate with police and other authorities.
DepEd rules remain relevant despite settlement
While the families have reached an agreement, the settlement does not necessarily erase the responsibilities of schools and authorities under existing child-protection rules.
The Department of Education’s DepEd Order No. 006, series of 2026, provides procedures for handling bullying and other learner-protection cases. Under the policy, schools and DepEd have primary jurisdiction over complaints covered by the anti-bullying framework, including investigations, sanctions and intervention programs.
The same policy provides that cases involving serious physical injuries or other acts that may constitute offenses can also involve the appropriate government authorities and applicable laws.
This means the family settlement should be viewed separately from the broader responsibility of schools and authorities to protect students and address violence.
Baguio faces broader bullying challenge
The latest case is also part of a wider concern about bullying and student violence in Baguio.
The Inquirer previously reported that the Baguio City Schools Division had documented 20 bullying incidents from June 2024 to March 2026, eight of which had been reported since June, including four violent incidents that were recorded and circulated online.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education-Cordillera Administrative Region said in August that 90 bullying cases were recorded across the region during School Year 2025–2026, prompting intensified mental-health interventions and anti-bullying measures.
Baguio authorities have also been pushing for a more coordinated approach to bullying cases. A recent report said the Baguio City Police Office recorded 34 bullying cases from January 2025 to July 2026, with cases referred to schools, social welfare authorities and, in some instances, settled amicably.
Authorities warn against online vigilantism
The controversy surrounding the Baguio incident has also highlighted another problem: the online exposure of minors.
The Baguio City Police Office and its Cybercrime Unit earlier moved to have posts and videos involving minors removed from online platforms, particularly material that exposed identities or appeared to encourage threats or violence.
The victim’s family has now made the same appeal, asking the public to stop circulating the footage and respect the family’s decision to settle.
For the family, the immediate goal is to move forward. But the incident has also renewed questions about how schools, parents, local officials and authorities can prevent bullying from escalating into violence.
For now, the student says he has forgiven those involved.
The bigger challenge for Baguio, however, is ensuring that forgiveness is followed by accountability, rehabilitation and stronger protection for students—so another viral bullying video does not become the next warning sign.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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