Teacher faces child abuse raps

CEBU, Philippines - A public school teacher is now facing charges of child abuse for inflicting injuries to a five-year-old boy.

Graft investigator Amy Rose Soler-Rellin of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas elevated the case to the court after finding probable cause that accused Jovita Galvez of Guba Elementary School in Cebu City committed the crime.

Rellin recommended P30,000 bail for Galvez’s temporary liberty.

In the complaint filed by the victim’s mother, she alleged that on June 23, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. her son was “maltreated” by his teacher.

She said she was outside the school premises waiting for her son, a grade 1 pupil. The mother said she was surprised when her son cried while approaching her.

The victim told his mother his teacher hit him on the head, flicked and pinched his ear and poked his left ear with a pencil resulting to physical injuries.

Jhoan said her son told her that the accused was “angry” after her son stood up because of the “pain in his buttock.”

The mother said she reported the incident to the school principal and the accused confirmed what she did to the victim but did not offer any settlement.

The medical certificate presented showed that the victim suffered abrasions in both his ears.

In her counter-affidavit, the accused vehemently denied the allegations and said that based on the attendance sheet, the victim was absent on June 23, 2011.

The teacher added that when she asked the victim if she hit him, the latter alleged that it was his mother who told him to do so.

The accused said she further asked the victim about the scratches on his face but the latter said one of his playmates did it.

Rellin, in her eight-page resolution, said that based on the foregoing arguments, she gave more weight to the testimony of the victim compared to the testimony of the accused.

“We find no cogent reasons as to why a five-year old child would fabricate or concoct charges against his teacher had said child been treated kindly,” the resolution reads.

 Rellin added that based on the evidence, the victim’s medical certificate was unrefuted. She added the act of accused constituted “psychological and physical abuse and emotional maltreatment” which is punishable under the law. — (FREEMAN)