DepEd-7 to probe ‘child abuse’

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd-7) is looking into a reported physical abuse committed by a male public school teacher in Badian against at least 10 elementary pupils.

Two of the parents whose children were allegedly subjected to physical abuse yesterday went to Vice Governor Agnes Magpale to ask for help. The parents requested Magpale to remove the teacher from Basak Elementary School in Badian.

DepEd-7 director, Dr. Carmelita Dulangon, said she already instructed provincial schools division superintendent Arden Monisit to create a team to look into the complaint.

Dulangon assured that there will be no whitewash in the investigation against the teacher, whose name withheld by The Freeman pending his side. In fact, Dulangon said her office is willing to assist the parents of the victims in filling the necessary complaint before the Office of Ombudsman Visayas if they would ask for it.

She also assured that her office will immediately implement orders coming from Ombudsman should the teacher be found guilty.

Magpale, who chairs the province's committee on children, immediately facilitated for the physical examination of the victims.

"Ipa-physical exam nato ang mga bata…ipada sa Vicente Sotto (Memorial Medical Center)," said Magpale.

Magpale said her committee is also preparing the sworn statements of the victims to support in the filing of the formal complaint. According to Magapale, they now have all the names of the 10 victims but are still waiting for the others to come to her office.

Only the parents of the two out of 10 victims have filed a complaint yesterday with the office of Magpale. The Freeman also withheld the names of the parents to protect the identity of the victims.

According to the complainants, their children were among the 10 who were allegedly beaten by the teacher in November last year.

The parents said that the teacher got irked upon seeing the victims playing outside his classroom. The teacher reportedly whipped the pupils using an electrical wire.

 "Wala mi kahibaw nganong gidapatan sa teacher nga dili man niya under," one of the parents said. 

The incident has reportedly caused trauma to the pupils. In fact, one of the victims does not want to come to school anymore

Dulangon has advised all public school teachers not to lose their patience in dealing with the pupils.

"Ang ilang pagtudlo sa mga kabataan ubanan gyud sa pagsabot kun duna may misbehavior nga dili unta mosangput sa pagpanagmal. Naa may mga ginikanan pahibal-on kun unsa may nahimo sa bata nga wala na mahasubay sa maayong pamatasan. Pero dili gyud mahimo nga sila mo-punish sa mga bata ilabina kun mogamit og corporal punishment," Dulangon said.  (FREEMAN)