DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered a 90-day preventive suspension against the teacher accused of slapping a Grade 5 student in Antipolo City.
This was confirmed by DepEd Undersecretary and spokesperson Michael Poa in a text message sent to INQUIRER.net on Tuesday.
“Confirming this but we are prohibited from discussing details further as Administrative proceedings are already underway,” Poa said.
“Just to clarify, preventive suspension po ‘yung 90 days,” he added.
(Just to clarify, it was a 90-day preventive suspension.)
READ: 5th grader dies 11 days allegedly after teacher’s slap in Antipolo City
Fourteen-year-old Francis Jay Gumikib was allegedly slapped by his teacher on September 20 at Peñafrancia Elementary School after reporting his noisy classmates.
He was brought to the hospital six days later after complaining of dizziness, headache, and vomiting. He went into a coma and died on October 2, or 11 days after the slapping incident.
Reports indicated that Gumikib died of global brain edema, or bleeding in the brain, citing information from this death certificate.
READ: Autopsy to determine case against teacher in Antipolo City pupil’s death
In a press briefing on October 9, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Forensic Group Medico-Legal Division said the body of the teenager was subjected to histopathology and autopsy as part of the medico-legal examination to determine his exact cause of death.
“We are trying our best na expedite, hopefully baka (mayeb) within the week makapagbigay kami pero ‘di aabot ng (we can give the result but it won’t reach) 30 days,” said the division’s chief, Hector Sorra.
Sorra likewise revealed that they detected pulmonary tuberculosis in Gumikib’s lungs but explained that the infection alone could not cause bleeding in the student’s head.
READ: CHR probes 2 cases of alleged fatal slapping and rape-slay of a 3-year-old