Teacher indicted for boxing student

CEBU, Philippines - A teacher of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST) and now Cebu Technological University (CTU) is facing a criminal case after his student accused him of punching him in the stomach.

The 17-year-old victim filed a complaint against his teacher, Dr. Ernesto Venci, a resident of R. Palma St. Cebu City, for violation of the Republic Act 7610, which protects children against abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

With the approval of City Prosecutor Nicolas C. Sellon, Prosecutor Noel A. Cellona recommended for the filing of the criminal complaint against Venci at the Regional Trial Court with a bail of P60, 000 for his temporary liberty.

Cellona said he sent a subpoena to Venci to answer the complaint but no controverting evidence submitted.

The resolution stated that the victim is already in legal age, however, the incident happened when he was still1 7 years old.

The complainant was a student of CTU taking up the course of Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering wherein he enrolled in the subject of Ship Routine and Construction under Venci.

The incident happened last year when the victim entered their classroom and Venci allegedly uttered “Naa na man lage kang bogo-a ka?”

When the victim handed his drawing to his teacher, the latter again made a comment saying “Bogo-a gyud ninyo oy, highlight na! Mga bogo gyud mo.”

The complainant further said that when he highlighted his drawing and returned it to Venci, the teacher further made a comment saying “Bangaa gyud nimo’ng mo-drawing oy, mga bugo gyud mo.”

The victim said that the comment was made in front of his classmates. He also added that his teacher then punched him in the stomach and then told him to put the drawing on the table.

The complainant claimed that the punch was strong but he tried to suppress his feeling as his classmates were present.

Then after, he went out the room to avoid further embarrassment and then went to his mother at the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Mandaue City.

Together with his mother, the complainant went back to the school and confronted Venci, who admitted to the punching but claimed that it was only a joke while lighting a cigarette and smoked in front of his mother.

Meanwhile, the psychological evaluation report submitted by the complainant indicated that “the victim does not feel safe at times and refused to go back to school.”

“The feeling of being unsafe triggers the traumatic memory causing the individual to be fearful.”

Cellona said that the psychological evaluation submitted is sufficient to establish as fact that the teacher uttered the demeaning words toward the victim in the presence of his classmates.

The prosecutor further said that there was sufficient evidence established that the teacher punched the victim.

“The punched could be just a joke or with the purpose of causing injury but the bottom line is it was done in circumstances where the victim is placed in an embarrassing situation,” Cellona said. (THE FREEMAN)