Manila school clamps down on students after fatal fight

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of San Sebastian College in C.M. Recto, Manila shall implement more stringent security measures following the death of a male student during a fight with another student in the school campus Friday, police said yesterday.

Murder charges were also filed yesterday against Romeo Ephraim Lim, 20, a third-year hotel and restaurant management student, for the death of Cromwel Duka Jr., a second-year student taking up business management. Duka expired at the Mary Chiles Hospital due to four stab wounds in the body.

Investigation conducted by SPO2 Richard Lumbad showed that at around 11:30 a.m. Duka and Lim figured in a fisticuff at the school canteen. When the two were separated by other students, Duka collapsed with stab wounds in the body. Lim was nabbed by a school guard while reportedly fleeing from the canteen.

Lumbad said the fight was recorded by the school’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, but the actual stabbing was not clearly seen in the video footage, Lumbad said.

Lim denied he was the one who stabbed the victim, as the video showed another male student joining the fray.

Lumbad said police and school officials will view the CCTV footage to determine the identity of the third student. The school is now on Christmas break. Police said a dirty look triggered the fight between the two students.

Lumbad said he is wondering why Lim was able to sneak a bladed weapon into the campus. However, school officials assured him they will implement stricter security measures when classes resume to prevent a repeat of the incident.       – Nestor Etolle