Teacher faces child abuse case

FOR allegedly striking the head of her 10-year-old pupil with a book after the latter got a low mark in an test, a teacher will face trial in court after she was charged with a criminal case by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutor Ruso Zaragoza found enough evidence to indict Cristeta Cogtas with violation of the Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The law punishes any person “who shall commit any other acts of child abuse, cruelty, or exploitation or to be responsible for other conditions prejudicial to the child’s development.”

Bail was set at P20,000 for the accused, who denied hurting her pupil.

Last June 19, Cogtas allegedly hurt Christine (real name withheld for being a minor), by hitting in her right eye and arm with a book, inside their classroom in Pulangbato Elementary School.

“We were having an examination in English,” she said in her sworn statement. “When I got a low score, she got mad at me.”

Afterwards, Cogtas allegedly hit Christine with a book.

The complainant further alleged that Cogtas had hurt her before twice.

“I touched the hair of my classmate inside our classroom before and she got angry at me. My classmate reported the incident to Cogtas, who got mad at me. She grabbed the hair on my right temple,” said Christine, who was also hit by the accused with a
ruler.

In her counter-affidavit, Cogtas said there was no class or examination last June 19.

“Such date could be interpreted to be in response to another incident of abuse as the child narrated all the incidents of abuse committed by the respondent since it happened only once. At any rate, this fact could be a subject of clarification during full-blown trial,” the resolution read.