Sue CamSur school over bag burning, DepEd urges parents

A post on Twitter by Earl Vincent Cañaveral shows the students’ burned bags.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has advised the parents of 15 students, whose bags and belongings were burned in a private school in Camarines Sur province, to file complaints against the administrator and part owner of the school.

Criminal or administrative charges, however, must be filed with proper authorities, the DepEd said, as it cannot impose punitive measures against private institutions.

However, the fact-finding investigation on the torching incident at Bicol Central Academy (BCA), which has since sparked a firestorm on social media, will continue even without any formal complaints, said Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla.

Pressing charges

During the visit of Gilbert Sadsad, DepEd Bicol regional director, to the school in Libmanan town on Monday, some parents expressed unwillingness to press charges against officials involved, Sevilla said.

“Some said they just want to be paid for the damages or have the destroyed belongings replaced,” she said.

“But the parents can still file a collective complaint. This is a perfect opportunity for the parents to use the Parent-Teacher Association as a strong body within the school that can protect the rights of learners and teachers,” Sevilla said.

Sadsad said the DepEd would ask the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to look into a possible violation of children’s rights. His agency would also seek help from the Bureau of Fire Protection for the possible filing of a complaint for arson.

Arnel Garcia, DSWD regional director, said his agency was willing to help parents file charges against BCA, depending on the DepEd’s recommendations.

Regulatory measures

In a statement, the DepEd said it could still apply regulatory measures on private schools, if the school administrator’s accountability for the incident is established.

For instance, the DepEd may review BCA’s permit to operate and have it suspended or revoked. It can also be disqualified from participating in the education service contracting and senior high school voucher program.

According to Sadsad, the school, once its permit is revoked, will not receive the P5.9-million subsidy under the program called Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education.

“[The] DepEd further recommends the school board to advise the school administrator to go on leave—to make way for an impartial probe and to allay the students’ fear,” the agency said.

Sevilla said the school administrator, Alexander James Jaucian, had submitted a written explanation on the incident to DepEd Bicol but she would not give details.

Sadsad said he received a letter from Jaucian, stating that he was willing to pay for damages.

A dialogue between Jaucian and the students and their parents had been scheduled on Wednesday.

On Monday, four DepEd guidance counselors provided psychosocial first aid to five of the 15 affected students, Sevilla said.

Photographs and videos uploaded by a BCA alumnus last week showed torched schoolbags, including the students’ clothes, laptops, mobile phones and other belongings, after they reportedly violated a “no-bag” order during a school activity. A school official was also recorded berating the students, calling them stupid.