Criminal charges filed against STC

A CRIMINAL complaint was filed yesterday against the principal and four teachers of St. Theresa’s College High School after the school punished some students by barring them from attending their graduation rites.

Parents and guardians of three girls filed the complaint with the Cebu City Prosecutors Office for two offenses – grave oral defamation in relation to the Anti-Child Abuse Law (Republic Act 7610) and violation of the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9995)

They said the school owes them an “apology” and compensation for damages as well.

Named respondents were principal Sr. Purisima Pe, assistant prinicipal Mussolini Yap, and discipline-in-charge Kristine Rose Tigol.

The complaint will be raffled off to a prosecutor, who will give the school respondents a chance to answer before deciding whether there is enough basis to elevate the case in court.

“We are high school classmates and good friends at St. Theresas College,” said the three students in their joint affidavit. “We have our own Facebook account.”

They said they were called to the principal’s office on March 1 and were confronted aby the three school officials about photos taken from their Facebook acounts.

Disgusting

The students said they were humiliated when the teachers, “without explanation” used “abusive words” in calling them “bigaon” (slut), “cheap”, and drug adicts.

The girls quoted 11 statements allegedly uttered by the STC officials.

Sample: “girls kaluod ninyo uy, ug ako’y giluod ninyo” (girls , you are very disgusting, I am the one who is disgusted by you)’; ‘If I were your mother… I would kill myself’ ; ‘you cheapen yourselves.”

“The first few demeaning words uttered caused us to already break down and cry. Despite that, the named school officials continued to say all the abusive words,” the students said.

STC officials were also accused of hacking the students’ Facebook account to get the disputed photographs.

Parents said they were called to the school on March 2 and made to sign acknowledgment of a notice of “Probation” which listed several violations of the Student Handbook but gave no date and specifics of the acts committed.

The parents said the “abusive words” hurled at the minors and alleging that the students were engaged “in immoral, indecent, obscene or lewd acts” in the photos was grave oral defamation.

They said hacking into the Facebook acounnts and extracting photos, then using and spreading them violates RA 9995.