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Alfred Vargas and wife Yasmine speak out on 'ignored evidence' in bullying case
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Quezon City Councilor Alfred Vargas has released another statement regarding the dismissal of his complaint against the family of Rob Sy over the alleged bullying of his son.
In a Facebook post, the actor-politician said he and his wife have asked the Manila Prosecutors' Office to reconsider its resolution, claiming that the wrong law was applied and substantial evidence was disregarded.
"According to the Vargas couple, the Resolution relied on the definition of bullying under Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, a law specifically designed to address bullying in schools and educational institutions. The complaint filed by the Vargas spouses against Sy and Bacosa, however, is not based on the Anti-Bullying Act," as stated.
Instead, the complaint seeks the prosecution of the respondents under Section 10(a) of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. The law was enacted to protect children from abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and conditions prejudicial to their development.
The couple also noted that the alleged bullying incident occurred during a swimming competition at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on February 14, 2026, and not within a school environment.
"We respectfully believe that the Resolution erred in adopting restrictive interpretation of the law and failed to fully appreciate the totality of the evidence on record,” they said.
In their Motion for Reconsideration, the Vargas couple argued that the resolution narrowed the protection afforded by law by treating the incident involving their seven-year-old child as a purely school-based bullying case.
They further claimed that the resolution disregarded material evidence, including eyewitness testimonies, reports, and professional psychiatric findings documenting the emotional and psychological impact suffered by their child.
According to the evidence they submitted, the alleged bullying incident triggered fear, emotional distress, humiliation, and psychological harm. The couple also said their child "was subjected to acts of aggression, ridicule, humiliation, intimidation, and emotional maltreatment.”
The statement also highlighted what they described as the failure of Rob's side to take reasonable corrective and preventive action despite warnings and repeated reminders.
"These acts resulted in clinically documented psychological distress,” they said.
The Vargas couple likewise disputed the resolution's characterization of the incidents as a mere childish disagreement or minor altercation.
“These are not trivial matters,” they said in their appeal. “These are precisely the kinds of acts and conditions that Republic Act No. 7610 seeks to prevent, particularly when they affect the dignity, emotional security, psychological well-being, and development of a child.”
Alfred said they continue to respect the legal process and remain confident that the truth will prevail.
“Umaasa kami na mabibigyang kaming mag-asawa ng pagkakataon naipaglaban ang karapatan ng aming anak. He has been a victim of continuous bullying,” he said.
“Ito ay para rin sa lahat ng mga batang biniktima, sinaktan at inabuso ng mga bully. Sana ay mabigyan sila ng tinig at ng pagkakataon na ibangon ang kanilang pagkatao at ipaglaban ang kanilang mga karaparatan sa ating hukuman,” he added.
Last April 13, Alfred and his wife, Yasmine, filed a criminal complaint against the parents of a minor who allegedly bullied and physically harmed their son during swimming training sessions.
On April 20, the couple also filed complaints for 20 counts of cyber libel against individuals behind what they described as persistent online attacks and “maling paratang” directed at their household.
Meanwhile, Rob Sy said he received a resolution from the Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila stating that the complaint filed by Alfred against their family had been dismissed.
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