The teacher in Cebu who is in hot water for hitting his student was said to be carried away by his emotions at the time of the incident.

A video that captured him hitting his Grade 8 student became viral on social media.

He has apologized for what happened but is also now the subject of an investigation.

The principal of the school where the incident happened said what happened was an isolated case and the teacher involved has never had record of infraction in his many years of teaching.

In an interview with GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak, Department of Education (DepEd)-7 Director Salustiano Jimenez said emotions, no matter how heightened, are not reason enough to hit students.

“Kahibaw ta nga, sometimes, maglagot ta... but then, dili pud na igo nga rason gyud nga atong dagmalan,” Jimenez said.

He said teachers must observe positive discipline, as they are trained to do, especially that DepEd does not condone corporal punishment.

“Sa atong mga teachers, kahibaw ta unsa ninyo ka passionate ug committed sa inyong trabaho pero gidili gyud nato ang corporal punishment kay ato gyud nang gi-emphasize nga ang atong pagdisiplina, we will observe positive discipline,” the director said.

Positive discipline is an approach that tolerates zero violence to discipline and classroom management. Public school teachers have undergone trainings on this approach.

DepEd’s Order No. 40 Series of 2012 on Child Protection Policy prohibits any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying, and other related offenses.

It defines corporal punishment as “a kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged or actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted for the purpose of discipline, training or control, by a teacher, school administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been given or has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment and discipline.”

Jimenez said due process will be observed in the course of the investigation into the hitting incident. The teacher will continue to carry his duties out until results of the investigation come out.

The school where the teacher works has initiated a dialogue on the incident together with the child’s parents, the school’s guidance counselor, and lawyer of DepEd.

The teacher has chosen not to issue a statement.

(With reports from Mark Regie Abella)