Killing of student in Para帽aque took less than 2 minutes 鈥� principal
Crime scene operatives gathered evidence after a grade 8 student fatally stabbed his classmate at the Moonwalk National High School in Parañaque City on Wednesday evening, March 26, 2025. (Photo from the Parañaque City Police Station)
MANILA, Philippines — The fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old female student of a school in Parañaque City happened in just less than two minutes as recalled by the school principal during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
The perpetrator, or the child in conflict with the law (CICL), is a 15-year-old male classmate of the victim.
He was a loner and had no friends, according to Dr. Leonisa Romano, the principal of Moonwalk National High School where the deadly stabbing happened last March 26.
READ: Grade 8 student stabs to death classmate in Parañaque City
“It lasted only a few seconds, and everything happened in less than two minutes. This is also according to the CCTV footage,” Romano said in Filipino during the hearing of the Senate committee on basic education.
“It happened so fast,” she added.
She also said the school investigated the incident and found out that the CICL and the victim started fighting when they were in elementary.
However, it was not reported to the school, Romano added.
When she last spoke to the CICL, she said he kept saying: “Palagi na lang, palagi na lang (Always the same, always the same).”
Romano said the CICL also admitted to her that he brought the kitchen knife from his home.
Looking back, she thought about the lapses of the school, if there is.
READ: Parents, schools liable for violence involving minors, says senator
It could be the absence of a security guard in the school, as there are only 11 watchmen currently assigned to check on its nearly 4,000 students.
“The training of security guards is different from that of watchmen. I believe that’s one reason why there should really be a security guard,” she said in Filipino.
The school principal also pointed to the many laws and rules that protect the rights of children. In some of their seminars, she said they were even advised to avoid using metal detectors or any abusive search or inspection.
“It’s difficult now. With all the rights of children, teachers are also becoming fearful. With all the rights of children, you’re not allowed to say anything that might hurt their feelings, so perhaps the teachers should also be protected to ensure they can still do their job effectively,” Romano said in Filipino.
This fatal stabbing was among the cases tackled during the hearing of the committee probing the recent incidents of bullying and violence in schools.
