A 17-YEAR-OLD Grade 9 student was injured after being stabbed by a fellow student outside a school in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
The San Carlos City Police Station has launched an investigation on the incident, which happened around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at Teachers Village, Barangay 2, San Carlos City.
Initial investigation revealed that the victim was injured in his lower right abdomen and was rushed to the San Carlos City Hospital for medical treatment. He is now in a stable condition.
The suspect, a 17-year-old Grade 10 student, was apprehended during a pursuit operation conducted by responding police personnel.
Authorities also recovered the bladed weapon allegedly used in the incident.
Police said the incident stemmed from old personal grudges.
Reports indicated that a group of teenagers allegedly attempted to confront individuals they considered rivals when the stabbing occurred, the police added.
The San Carlos police clarified that the incident did not occur within the school premises but outside school grounds and after school hours.
Given that both the victim and the suspect are minors, authorities are handling the matter with utmost care, ensuring that all legal procedures and child protection protocols are strictly observed, said the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) in a statement.
It added that the case is currently being handled by the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the San Carlos City Component City Police Station.
The PRO-NIR said it has strengthened its community-based crime prevention initiatives by extending its efforts beyond educational institutions and into neighborhoods and communities considering that incidents involving youth may occur beyond school premises.
Through intensified police visibility, youth engagement programs, collaboration with local government units, schools, parents, and community stakeholders, the PNP aims to address conflicts among young individuals before they escalate into violence, it said.
The regional police also called on parents, guardians, schools, and community leaders to remain vigilant and actively participate in guiding the youth toward peaceful conflict resolution and responsible behavior. (LRM)