Neophyte Senator Robin Padilla said that slight physical bullying is “OK,” while mental torture must be fixed first.
The senator added that physical torture has helped him in his life.
“‘Yun pong physical bullying para po sa akin, kayang i-handle ‘yun. Ang hindi po kayang i-handle ‘yung mental kasi ‘yun po ang mabigat. Para sa akin, ngayon ‘yun po ang nararanasan ng ating mga kabataan, ‘yung mental torture,” he said during the Senate committee on basic education hearing on the implementation of the Anti-Bullying Act.
“Physical torture — sorry po pero — para sa akin, nakatulong pa ‘yun para ako’y maging — ‘di naman po sa usapin lamang ng humarap sa buhay — palagay ko mga 20 percent, 30 percent nakatulong pa ‘yun. Pero ‘yung mental bullying, siguro po ‘yun po ang dapat nating harapin at kung anuman po siguro ‘yung physical bullying ‘pag umabot na sigurong gusto ka nang patayin, ‘yun na ‘yun. Pero ‘yung kadyot kadyot lang diyan, ok lang ‘yun,” he pointed out.
The former action star added that physical bullying might be underreported, noting his previous experience in school where bullying was not reported to school authorities since the bullied kid will be called “sumbungero” or a tattletale.
Padilla said that bullies are usually the children of rich parents or a politician which is why teachers are afraid to discipline them.
“Siguro magkaroon ng po talaga ng initiative ang teacher na harapin ang mga bully na ‘yan. ‘Di nalilihim ‘yan. Popular sa paaralan kung sino ang nang-aasar,” Padilla said.
“Walang bolahan ito, kung sino talaga ang makukulit at mayayabang ‘yan po talaga ang may kapit,” he went on.
— Ronald Espartinez