By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
THE 9th grader who stabbed his teacher in front of an entire class on Tuesday held grudges against the victim over the way she dealt with him, and the hand game “Bato-bato-pick” (Rock-Paper-Scissors) may have determined which student would carry out the attack.
The 15-year old Jimmy (not his real name) killed Science teacher Vilma Cabactulan after he played the hand game with one of his classmates apparently to determine who would make her go down, said PO1 Marianne Mae Tolentino.
Tolentino, who is working at the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk of the Bulua police station, has talked with the suspect.
Jimmy himself confided to this paper that it was one of his classmates who suggested that they attack Cabactulan who was their class adviser at the Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa Senior High School at Sitio Cala-anan in Barangay Canito-an.
“Ingon akong classmate magbato-bato (Rock-Paper-Scissors) kami, kon kinsa kuno sa among duha ang makatumba sa among teacher, pero wala ko motingog,” Jimmy told the Gold Star Daily in a brief interview.
He did not identify the other student but he hinted that the knife he used in killing the 43-year old Cabactulan belonged to the same person after their hand game.
Inside the classroom, Jimmy said, he sharpened the borrowed knife while Cabactulan spoke in the class.
Jimmy said Cabactulan saw what he was doing, and scolded him. He stabbed the teacher thrice shortly, at around 8:30 am.
The teenager said it was the second time that morning for Cabactulan to scold him. The first was when the teacher told him to stop reading and sending text messages in class.
Jimmy also revealed that he had held grudges against Cabactulan for at least two years over the way she had treated him.
“Sigi ko niya kasab-an sukad pa sa Grade 7 pa ko hangtud karon nga Grade 9 na ko, kasab-an lang gihapon kon niya, ug paka-ulawan pa gyud,” he said.
Despite the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 that gives minors some legal immunity, police said they would file a complaint for murder against Jimmy at the City Prosecutor’s Office.
“Murder ang among ipasaka nga kaso kay treachery man gud ang nahitabo kay sa likod man naigo ang biktima sa pag-dunggab niining suspect,” said Tolentino.
She said it was up to prosecutors to evaluate the complaint and make recommendations.
Jimmy was brought by his father to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office on Masterson Ave. at around 3:30 pm on Tuesday. Authorities then took and brought him to the Bulua police station so as to get information from him.
Police tried to prevent the teenager from being interviewed by reporters. PO1 Tolentino said she found it unthinkable that a “silent” and mild-mannered teenager like Jimmy would kill anyone.
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