Court provisionally drops case vs public teacher

CEBU, Philippines — A public school teacher is temporarily off the hook after the Regional Trial Court has provisionally dismissed the sexual harassment case filed by his minor student in 2015.

RTC Branch 24 Jose Nathaniel Andal drop the case against Carlito Quijano,59, for violation of Section 3(B) of Republic Act 7877 otherwise known as the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act after the then 12-year-old complainant showed no interest to pursue the case.

The public prosecutor manifested before the court that the private complainant showed no interest in pursuing the case. In fact, it was the private complainant that allegedly sought for its dismissal.

The court, however, ruled that the case may be revived within two years period upon the discretion of the complainant.

“The private complainant may just have been confused with her situation right now. She probably needs time to contemplate on her decision. In the meantime, however, the court is left with no other recourse but to have this case provisionally dismissed,” reads the order.

Quijano was accused of sexually harassing his 12-year-old student on March 9, 2015.

In her complaint, the minor student said that she and her classmates were summoned by Quijano to talk about their failure to submit a school project and what to do to make up for it.

According to the complainant, the accused asked her to choose between “rope or thigh” to make up for her failure. The minor said she chose rope but the accused allegedly asked her to show her thigh.

The victim said the teacher pulled her skirt up and touched her thigh. One of the classmates, however, said there was no truth to the accusation.—  FPL (FREEMAN)