DOJ opens action centers vs bullying

MANILA, Philippines — To help prevent crimes involving minors and assist victims of bullying, the Department of Justice is expanding its services to school-related concerns through the public prosecutor’s office, DOJ Secretary Fredderick Vida said.

Vida said the DOJ hopes to intervene early and prevent situations from getting worse, as unresolved grievances, which include bullying, could escalate if left unchecked.

“We want to make the DOJ open to such cases. If there is bullying, go to the fiscal and we will find a way to resolve or respond to the complaints on bullying,” Vida told dzRH yesterday.

He said public prosecutors would evaluate and determine the course of action, which could be the filing of charges, mediation or referral to another office.

According to Vida, the DOJ mechanism is similar to the local disaster risk reduction and management offices, which are set up nationwide to respond to emergencies and disasters.

Citing the school shooting incident in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others wounded, Vida suggested that local government units prepare plans on how victims would respond, how police would operate to ensure peace and order, and how school officials would redress grievances.

He said an inter-agency collaboration would prepare a study on violent extremism and the use of social media, as part of efforts for a wholistic approach to solve the problem.

Justice Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez said that aside from the action centers, parents and students could also raise their concerns at the DOJ regional offices in La Union, Nueva Ecija, Cavite and Albay as well as in the cities of Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Koronadal and Davao.