Teacher gets three years imprisonment

CEBU, Philippines – A public school teacher in Bogo City was sentenced by the Supreme Court to suffer three years imprisonment after she was found guilty of direct assault resulting to unintentional abortion of a co-teacher 29 years ago.

Lydia Gelig was only supposed to serve 30 days imprisonment after the Court of Appeals downgraded her earlier conviction for direct assault with unintentional abortion before the Regional Trial Court to only slight physical injuries.

Instead of the four years and two months conviction with the RTC the appellate court only sentenced her to 30 days imprisonment. But, Gelig was not satisfied with it, she would have wanted acquittal prompting her to elevate the case before the Supreme Court.

However instead of acquittal the high tribunal modified the appellate court's decision. The Supreme Court increased the penalty from 30 days to three years.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo promulgated last July 28, 2010, the high tribunal ruled the Court of Appeals erred in finding Gelig only guilty of slight physical injuries instead of direct assault with unintentional abortion.

The case stemmed from Gelig's attacking her co-teacher, Gemma Micarsos, in July 17, 1981 while the latter was attending to her class at the Nailon Elementary School.

Gelig barged into Micarsos' classroom, slapped the victim and pushed her on the ground causing miscarriage to the pregnant teacher.

Gelig was angry at her co-teacher for allegedly calling her son a "sissy." (THE FREEMAN)