A GRADE 5 student from Antipolo, Rizal passed away days after he was slapped by his teacher.
Executive Master Sergeant Divina Rafael, chief of the Antipolo Police Women and Children Desk, said the teacher admitted slapping the victim, Francis Jay Gumikib, 14.
“Yun nga po ‘yung paliwanag niya although yun pong kamay niya ay dumapo doon sa mukha nung bata ang sabi niya hindi naman daw malakas yung pangyayari,” she said.
(That's his explanation, although his hand landed on the child's face, he said that the incident was not strong.)
Elena Minggoy, the victim’s mother, said her son told her that the incident happened on September 20 when he called out the attention of his teacher due to his noisy classmates.
The victim told his mother that his teacher collared him, pulled his hair and slapped him before ordering him to return to his seat.
Minggoy said Gumikib complained of pain in the ear and dizziness as he got home, but he was still able to attend school in the three days that followed.
Gumikib was rushed to the hospital on September 26 due to persistent pain in the ears, dizziness, headache and vomiting.
He died on October 2 after days of being in a comatose state.
Rafael said the doctor told them that the cause of the victim’s death was internal hemorrhage.
She said Gumibik’s parents are determined to press charges against the teacher, who is now under the custody of the school principal.
Charges of homicide in violation of Republic Act 7610 or Anti-Child Abuse Law will be filed against the teacher.
Department of Education Undersecretary and spokesperson Michael Poa said the Schools Division Superintendent is already conducting a probe into the incident, which happened at the Peñafrancia Elementary School. (SunStar Philippines)
