Antipolo police await family’s approval to child abuse rap vs teacher
Antipolo on map. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Antipolo City Police Station on Thursday said it needs the go signal of the 5th grader’s family before it can file a child abuse complaint against a teacher who slapped the student in school.
Antipolo Police Chief Lt. Col. Ryan Manongdo said they prepared the complaint based on Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
Citing results of the medico-legal examination, Manongdo said the teacher’s slap had nothing to do with the death of Francis Jay Gumikib – which seemed consistent with the statement of Philippine National Police Forensic Group Director Brig. Gen. Constancio Chinayog Jr. that the student’s death was caused by a “rare condition.”
READ: Student’s death due to ‘rare’ condition, not linked to slap – PNP
“Wala po nakikitang direktang koneksyon sa pagkamatay ng bata ang pananampal ng teacher noong September 21,” Manongdo told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message.
(The teacher’s slapping of the student on September 21 seem to have to direct connection to the child’s death.)
“Inaantay namin ang desisyon ng pamilya. Depende kung sasangayunan nila ang ihinanda naming complaint na violation of Section 10 ng RA 7610,” he added.
(We await the family’s decision. It depends on whether they will agree with the complaint we prepared that is a violation of Section 10 of RA 7610.)
Chinayog earlier said that results of the autopsy and histopathological exam on Gumukib showed that the 14-year-old’s death was caused by intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding due to a ruptured vein) and edema (brain swelling).
READ: Slapped Antipolo student died of brain swelling, bleeding — PNP
Rizal Police Forensic Unit chief Lt. Col. Maria Analiza Dela Cruz also previously explained that the vein that ruptured in Gumikib’s brain was “non-traumatic” in nature and a “rare condition” with an “unknown cause.”
Under the anti-child abuse law, violators should be penalized with imprisonment ranging from six months to six years and a fine of not less than P50,000 to P300,000.
Sought for a comment on the postmortem report, Gumikib’s mother Elena Minggoy said they have yet to decide on a second autopsy on her child’s body.
“No comment na po muna ako. Sa ngayon ‘di ka po alam [kung mag second autopsy], magulo pa po ang isip ko. Gusto ko muna magpahinga para makapagisip ako ng maayos,” Minggoy told reporters in a phone patch interview.
(I have no comment for now. Right now I still do not know [about a second autopsy], my mind is still confused. I want to rest first so I can think properly.)
READ: 5th grader dies 11 days allegedly after teacher’s slap in Antipolo City
Gumikib was allegedly slapped by his teacher on September 21. Five days later, the student complained of a headache, started vomiting, had blurred vision, and felt like insects were crawling inside his ear.
His parents brought him to a hospital in Marikina, where he lapsed into a coma and died after six days on October 2. Following his death, the Department of Education ordered a 90-day preventive suspension against Gumukib’s teacher last October 10.
