Public teacher sued for child abuse

CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and other Law Enforcement Offices elevated the case of child abuse against a public teacher of Oslob, Cebu.

Eutiquio Lumondoc, a teacher of Tumalog Elementary School in barangay Tumalog, Oslob, Cebu is facing charges of violation of Republic Act 7610 which provides for special protection of children against abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

Graft Investigator Katherine Pajaron recommended P80,000 bail for Lumondoc.

Pajaron stated that she found a probable cause to elevate the case to the court.

"There is sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the crime charged has been committed; and that the accused is probably guilty thereof," stated Pajaron.

Leelan Cortes, 8 years old, a grade one student under the class of Lumondoc, said that on February 13, 2007 at around 8:00 to 9:00, Lumondoc ordered him to kneel down over stones for a few minutes.

Lumondoc then called his attention and without any apparent reason hit him three times using a piece of wood.

He was hit in the right shoulder, both palms and buttocks.

Furthermore, Lumondoc scolded Cortes and with the use of a stick struck his lower lip and pinched his stomach and directed Cortes to continue kneeling over the stones.

When Cortes went home, he told her mother of what had happened.

They immediately went to the house of the barangay captain to report.

Lumondoc denied the accusations and said these were "purely intended to harass and extort money" from him.

"The complainants were merely induced to file these cases at the behest and prodding of a certain individual in order to embarrass me. For the last ten years I did my best to mold the character and intellect of my students knowing pretty well that these students are future leaders of the community," the teacher said.

Despite this, Pajaron found probable cause to charge Lumondoc.

"The denial of the accused is of no moment. Jurisprudence teaches that bare denials, without clear and convincing evidence to support them, cannot sway judgment." (FREEMAN)