Court indicts school coach for child abuse

CEBU, Philippines - The assistant coach of the basketball teams of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu has been indicted for allegedly bullying a 15-year-old player in front of his teammates.

Deputy City Prosecutor Felixberto Geromo found probable cause to charge Thaddeus Bacalso, the coach of the school’s elementary and high school basketball teams, for two counts of child abuse.

Geromo said there was sufficient evidence to hold Bacalso for trial.

“In sum, undersigned found probable cause to charge Bacalso for two counts of child abuse under Section 10(a) Article VI of RA 7610. At best, his defense is evidentiary and better addressed to the sound appreciation of the court. Wherefore, in view of the foregoing, let the corresponding informations be filed in court,” the resolution reads.

In his complaint, the 15-year-old boy alleged that while he was on the team, he was bullied by Bacalso. The minor joined the team in 2009 when he was 10 years old.

He said during their training, Bacalso, who is the conditioning coach, let them perform basketball drills. When they could not do the drills out of exhaustion, Bacalso allegedly uttered “profanities and expletives.”

The minor said there was a time when Bacalso called him a pig in front of the team which made him “ashamed, downhearted and embarrassed.”

He said during their practice at school in Canduman, Mandaue City, Bacalso also verbally abused him.

“He would hurl invectives and insult me and I was very scared and intimidated by his acts and humiliating words. Cuss words like bogo (moron), bayot (gay) were uttered even at my slightest infraction,” the complaint-affidavit reads.

The minor said because of the alleged insults, verbal abuse and psychological attacks on him, his parents pulled him out of the team.

Bacalso denied the allegations filed against him, saying they were fabricated and designed to kick him out of the basketball team.

He attached the affidavit of two witnesses to attest that he never verbally abused the complainant.

But Geromo ruled in favor of the complainant.

“In this case, we cannot just ignore the psychological evaluation report of complainant. The psychologist’s initial evaluation of complainant at the time of session shows that he manifested significant depressive indicators,” Geromo’s resolution further reads. (FREEMAN)