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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE teenager who stabbed and killed his Science teacher in class in Canitoan last week is now being haunted by what he did. Just like his classmates who were traumatized because they witnessed the brutal attack, his stress could take its toll on his mental health.

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Estella Fernandez, Psychological Unit chief of the City Social Welfare and Development office (CSWD), said “Jimmy” (not his real name) has been showing signs of acute stress at the Tahanan ng Kabataan in Barangay Lumbia.

The mere sight of a knife scares the 15-year old because he fears that he would end up being stabbed to death like what he did to his teacher Vilma Cabactulan, according to Fernandez.

She said Jimmy was also exhibiting signs of  “comfort disorder.”

Fernandez said the CSWD was still collecting more information about Jimmy to understand why he went to the extent of killing the 43-year old teacher in front of the entire class on Tuesday morning.

She said social welfare workers were looking into the family background of Jimmy, and trying to find out how the teenager was raised.

The CSWD has also started stress debriefing sessions for students and teachers at the Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa Senior High School in Calaanan, Canitoan. Many of them are suffering from acute stress, she said.

Criminologist Manny Jaudian told the Gold Star Daily there was a need to look into the teenager’s influences and the way he was brought up as a child.

Dr. Jaudian said, “It could be the kind of movies and TV programs he has been watching, the computer games he has been playing ot it could be that he grew up seeing violence at home.”

Jaudian said he is worried that the number of children like Jimmy in Cagayan de Oro is growing.

He also expressed alarm over Jimmy’s claim that he stabbed and killed Cabactulan after a hand game of “bato-bato-pick”(rock-paper-scissors) with a classmate. Jimmy earlier said they played the hand game to determine who would attack the teacher.

“It means there was premeditation, and there is probably another kid out there who thinks the same way,” Jaudian said.

CSWD chief Teodoro Sabuga-a said stress debriefing sessions would continue “to help the students to overcome the trauma and anxiety.”

Sabuga-a said Jimmy would remain in the Tahanan ng Kabataan where he would be examined and evaluated.

“The  findings will help us address his concerns. Counseling  will also be  conducted later for behavior modification,”  Sabuga- said.

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