The Department of Education (DepEd) filed formal charges against five of the seven teachers accused of alleged sexual harassment in Bacoor National High School in Cavite.
In a joint press conference of the Office of the Vice President and DepEd on Thursday, Sept. 8, Education spokesperson Michael Poa confirmed that the department has issued formal charges, and imposed 90 days of preventive suspension on the five educators.
He said these measures were given after they received the complete fact-finding or preliminary investigation conducted by the Schools Division Office (SDO).
Only five teachers were facing charges for now due to “insufficient evidence” for the two teachers, Poa said.
“Noong nakausap natin ang SDO at legal department, kulang pa ang ebidensya to identify yung dalawa pa, kaya lima lang [ang] na-issue-han ng charge,” he said.
He explained that teachers were given “prior notice to explain” or “show cause memo” during the preliminary investigation.
“Binigyan po natin sa Cavite particularly, mga teachers, ng 5 days within which to reply,” he added.
Poa appealed to the victims to come forward and present their statements and evidence so that the remaining teachers and other educators involved in the sexual acts could be charged.
In an official statement released on Thursday afternoon, DepEd urged all learners from kindergarten to Grade 12 to directly report any incidents of sexual abuse and violence in schools.
All students are instructed to send complaints via email at [email protected] or call landlines 8633-1942 or 8635-9817 and mobile phone 0995-9218461, even after working hours.
“DepEd is taking all reports about sexual abuse and violence against our learners in schools seriously as we are determined to ensure that schools all over the country are safe spaces for our learners and free from sexual predators,” Poa said in the statement.
On Aug. 30, DepEd announced that it launched an investigation into the sexual advancement that includes grooming and use of sexual remarks made by several educators in Cavite.
The investigation comes after a Twitter post that exposed photos and screenshots of conversations containing sexual abuse of several teachers to students, went viral.
