The mother of a deceased high school volleyball player has called for an investigation into what she described as alleged bullying and mistreatment her daughter experienced while playing for her former team.
Jhoy Pacheco, mother of Jamie Ignacio, spoke to Abante Sports’ Lito Oredo two days after her daughter’s burial and said she was determined to seek answers surrounding the circumstances that may have contributed to Jamie’s death.
“Ang hirap, hirap na hirap na ako, hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam kung ano mangyayari sa akin, si Jamie ang buhay ko,” Pacheco said.
In a lengthy social media post, Pacheco accused some of her daughter’s former teammates and team officials of repeatedly mistreating Jamie, claiming that the situation took a toll on the teenager’s mental health.
Pacheco alleged that Jamie experienced bullying, verbal abuse and isolation, particularly after being appointed team captain.
She claimed that her daughter had been responsible for various team duties and had continued looking after younger teammates despite the difficulties she was experiencing.
According to Pacheco, Jamie initially had a positive experience during her first two years with the team, but she noticed changes after her daughter became captain.
She also alleged that some teammates behaved differently in the presence of coaching staff and that Jamie was subjected to insults and criticism inside the team dormitory.
Pacheco further claimed that she had previously approached a team official, whom she identified as the coach, to raise concerns about her daughter’s situation. She alleged that Jamie was instead reprimanded during a meeting after speaking about the problems she was experiencing.
The mother also questioned why her daughter, whom she described as a kind and hardworking player, allegedly received little support from her teammates despite her contributions to the team.
“2 taon naglaro (sainyo) ang anak ko pero (kahit) isang bulaklak (wala kayong) naibigay sa (kanya), (sainyo) nagsilbi ang (anak) ko,” Pacheco wrote.
She said she had gathered what she described as evidence of the alleged mistreatment and intended to bring the matter to the authorities.
Pacheco said she also planned to raise the family’s concerns with the Department of Education after the family had completed its initial period of mourning.
Jamie previously played for Arellano University high school volleyball team before transferring to Far Eastern University-Diliman, where she had been enrolled for nearly two months before her death.
Pacheco concluded her post by saying that she would continue pursuing answers for her daughter and seeking accountability for what she believes happened before Jamie’s death. (By the Staff)
