Teacher charged for sexual abuse

CEBU, Philippines - For allegedly making the 16-year-old student believed that the sexual favor will help his grades in passing his midterm and final examination, a university teacher is facing sexual harassment charges before the court.

Prosecutor III Rodulph Joseph Val Carrillo indicted a 39-year-old man, a resident of Mambaling, Cebu City for a violation of Republic Act 7877, otherwise known as Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, after finding probable cause.

 “In the instant case, RA 7877 is clearly applicable as respondent is the teacher of complainant who is responsible for his education and training. Respondent clearly demanded a sexual favor from the minor,” comments on review read.

 Carrillo recommended P2,000 bail for the temporary liberty of the accused.

The FREEMAN withheld the names of the parties due to the nature of the case.

 Aside from the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, the accused was also charged for a violation of Section 5(b) of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

 Carrillo ruled that the accused committed acts of lasciviousness by unzipping the minor’s pants inside his boarding house on August 16, 2016 at 3 p.m. and performed oral sex, acts that are prejudicial to the child’s development.

 He recommended P180,000 bail .

 In his affidavit, the minor, a resident of Barangay Luz, Cebu City, alleged he was enrolled as Grade 11 and the accused was his instructor in the Earth Science subject.

 On August 16, the minor alleged after their afternoon class, he was invited by the accused to go with him to the room.

While inside the room, he was allegedly told to go with him to his boarding house which was near the campus to check the assignments submitted by other sections.

 “Since he is my instructor I followed his order out of respect to his position. When we were already at his boarding house we started doing the recording of the grades,” the affidavit reads, adding thereafter accused started caressing him.

 “I wanted to resist his sexual advances but he held my hands,” the minor stated, adding the accused then performed an oral sex.

After he had done, he took his class record and raised his grades and promised that he will let him pass with high grades in the midterm and final exams.

 The minor said when he arrived home he confessed to his parents what his teacher did to him.

The accused denied the allegations of the minor, saying he was in the faculty room and went to canteen where he met his co-teacher contrary to what the minor stated.

He claimed the acts of the minor was only to pre-empt his “prospective disciplinary actions” against him of what he did while attending his class. (FREEMAN)