EDITORIAL — Minor issues

Twelve minors aged between 13 and 15 years old and their guardians or parents were called to a conference with barangay officials and the police after they mauled a 21-year-old man in Sitio Mahayahay I, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, last August 9.

According to a report in this newspaper, the man, who was associated with a gang the youths previously clashed with, accused them of throwing stones at him. He chased them but the youths got the better of him and ended up beating him up.

The conference was intended to evaluate possible charges against those involved and discuss the implementation of a diversion program for the minors.

The situation isn’t as clear-cut as we think. The minors, who claimed that the man mistakenly accused them of stoning him before chasing them armed with a katana, could have felt they were in danger from him and initially acted only in self-defense.

But at some point, the self-defense turned into assault, particularly when the man became hopelessly outnumbered. They should have at least been aware when self-defense turned into something else.

They could have also taken into consideration the fact that the man suffered from epilepsy, but this could have been something that wasn’t known to all of them.

Regardless of this, the fact that they took part in an assault seems to indicate that they aren’t averse to violence. And this is something that shouldn’t be common among the young.

As indicated, the victim was allegedly a member of a gang the minors feuded with, were the minors in a gang of their own as well?

This should again remind parents and guardians of their role to guide minors, especially those only coming of age and discovering who they really are. This is also the best age to teach them that violence should be the exception as opposed to the rule.

Those who grow up thinking of violence as an accepted and common thing in life tend to pass on that belief in the worst way possible.