The Department of Education (DepEd) does not tolerate corporal punishment in schools.
This is emphasized by DepEd-7 Director Salustiano Jimenez following a video showing a teacher in Cebu hitting his student that went viral on social media.
“We are not tolerating any corporal punishment sa Department of Education,” Jimenez told GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak.
DepEd has already initiated an investigation into the incident. In fact, Jimenez said it was him who instructed the Division Office to investigate when the video reached him.
“Ang atoang division office concerned, already been directed to conduct an investigation and I’m awaiting for the report,” he told GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak in an interview on February 25, 2024.
NO COMPLAINT
Jimenez said no formal complaint was filed before DepEd by either the parents of the child or any other party on the incident, at least as of this writing.
His office made the call to investigate.
“Until now, I didn’t receive any complaint. Wala ko kadawat og reklamo gikan sa ginikanan. Ang gibuhat sa Department of Education, when I received the video, ako ray naningkamot nga magpa-imbestigar, nga ipa-imbestigar ang maong hitabo but, so far, until now, wala tay nadawat nga reklamo gikan sa ginikanan ug kinsa man nga nagreklamo bahin ato nga hitabo,” he said.
He said that while DepEd won’t delay the probe, due process will be observed so that all involved can present their side.
“Naa man tay due process nga pagasundon kay klaro man sa administrative cases… bisan gani sa regular courts, diba? Sa regular courts nato, naa man gyud tay mga proseso nga angay natong kuanon kay we also have to listen to both sides then anha nato tan-awon kung unsa gyuy angay ipahamtang, if ever naa man gali gyuy salaod or violation nga nabuhat,” Jimenez said.
“Ato gyung gipaningkamutan nga mapadali ang imbestigasyon para, if ever there are violations, then we have to deal with it accordingly,” he added.
APOLOGY
The teacher has already apologized to the student’s parents, according to the legal officer of DepEd.
The teacher was reportedly carried away by his emotions during that time.
The school has also initiated a dialogue among the parties concerned. Present during the dialogue were the teacher, parents of the student, the lawyer of DepEd, the school principal, and guidance counselor.
The teacher continues to teach while investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The principal said what happened was an isolated case and the teacher concerned never had any record of infraction in his 27 years of teaching.
POST NOT NEEDED
Jimenez said he could only wish the child’s parent did not post the video of the incident on social media.
This reportedly had a negative effect because the child, a Grade 8 student, no longer went to school for fear of being bullied.
In between the time of the incident and the day the video was posted online, the student still attended classes.
“What happened was tungod sa pag-post, imbis nga wala ra unta to na-affected ang bata, so, di na hinuon mo-eskwela ang bata tungod kay maulaw kay mahadlok i-bully.. of which mao toy epekto sa pag-post,” Jimenez said.
He said it would have been better had the parents filed the complaint straight to DepEd so that the agency could act on it directly.
“Ang ako unta ato, kung gi-diretso sa amoang buhatan para nag-reklamo, so ato dayong imbestigahon. Atong pahamtangan og angayan nga pahamtangan. Dili kinahanglan nga i-post sa social media nga ang bata hinuon maoy apektado. Mao na hinuoy gi-bully, mao na hinuoy naulaw,” Jimenez said.
(With reports from Mark Regie Abella)
