By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A 17-year-old senior high school student died in a fist fight inside the school at Barangay Payao in Negros Occidental’s Binalbagan town.

The fatality was identified as Joren Erol John Garcia, a resident of Sitio Tonggo in the town’s Barangay Cabadiangan.

Binalbagan police chief, Major Randy Babor, said Garcia and the suspect, whom he requested not be identified, met at a narrow passageway inside the school on October 19.

For no reason whatsoever, the suspect allegedly punched Garcia multiple times until he collapsed on the pavement.

Garcia was rushed to the Binalbagan Infirmary, and later to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City for treatment.

However, he later passed away on the same day at around 4:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, the suspect surrendered to police on Friday, October 20, and was placed under the custody of the Binalbagan Social Welfare and Development Office.

Babor said they will still file criminal charges of homicide against the suspect despite being a minor.

The town police is also conducting an investigation into whether another suspect, believed to be a student, was also involved in Garcia’s death.

Meanwhile, the school where the incident happened refused to give a statement.

They requested the local media to await an official statement from the Department of Education Schools Division in Binalbagan, which is also conducting an investigation over the incident./DGB, WDJ