Alfred Vargas, an actor and councilor in Quezon City, and his wife Yasmine have decided to fight back. The couple filed a criminal complaint on Monday against the parents of a boy who they say bullied their son during swimming practice.
The complaint was sent to the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office. Republic Act No. 7610 is a law in the Philippines that protects kids from abuse and harm. The parents were charged under this law.
The couple reported that the other youngster kept pushing their son and holding him underwater while they were swimming. The Vargases talked to the bully’s parents many times and requested them to stop, but nothing changed. The parents either didn’t care or made them feel like they were the problem.
Vargas also told them something that really hurt them. He added that the bully touched his son in a way that was not okay. His wife told the bully’s mother about it, but the mother just smiled and said, “He’s just dancing.”
Last February, things got worse at a swimming competition at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Vargas and other people watched the bully shove his son close to the water while they were warming up. He almost hurt his son immediately before the competition. While the child lay on the ground, two of the bully’s cronies laughed at him. The boy was afraid and upset emotionally after this.
The bully’s mom pretended like nothing occurred after the event. She also started publishing false information online. Vargas stated, “As a father, there is one thing you cannot bear to see — your child being mistreated.” He said that his sole regret was not doing something sooner.
The pair alleged in their lawsuit that the bully’s parents didn’t do their job of keeping an eye on and disciplining their child. parents knew of past problems, yet parents didn’t do much to curb their child’s bad behavior. In the Philippines, hurting a kid’s feelings or mind is considered child abuse, even if there is no physical harm.
Vargas has been an advocate of protecting children for a long time. He has fought for schools to have tighter laws against bullying and for parents to be held responsible when their kids bully other kids.
“Bullying is not normal. It is not safe. He said, “It’s not okay.” “We spoke up not to get back at them, but to stand up for our son and every child who is too scared to say something.” This is where it ends.
