AUGUST 16-22, 2010

Teachers accused of ‘harming’ pupils admit errors 

 By GERRY T. PAGHARION ( fromThe Capiz Times)

            ROXAS CITY – After the admission made by the controversial teacher in Panay, Capiz that she let her pupil bite (not eat, she corrected) a piece of crumpled paper as a form of punishment  last June 16  inside the classroom, another teacher  in Pontevedra, Capiz owned up to his folly  when he threw a pomelo (a fruit locally known as “cabugao”) at his Grade V pupil last Aug. 13, a Friday, purportedly to call his attention to the subject matter being discussed.

            The boy, reportedly still nursing from fever, was hit in the head.

            But Rogelio “Dodong” Arceño of Hipona Elementary School was quick to own up to his mistake and stressed that he  terribly felt sorry for what he did.  He has since then been profusely apologizing to the pupil and to his parents for his “spur of the moment” action.

            Arceño’s classroom  story came amid the widely-publicized case of Gelisa Bocala of Agbalo Elementrary School in Panay, Capiz, who is now under investigation by the Capiz Division reportedly  for lodging a piece of crumpled paper into the mouth of her  Grade V pupil as a form of disciplinary action.

            The “badly traumatized” pupil has since transferred to Dona Victoria Cortez Dais Memorial in the nearby Pontevedra town.

            The trouble started when, on June 16, Bocala’s attention was called to the presence of a piece of crumpled paper on top of the desk of the pupil.  It was reportedly agreed by the whole class that whoever is found guilty of littering would be made to “eat” the littered object.

            This paper learned that Bocala is now working on an amicable settlement with the pupil’s parents.  The pupil’s father, Efren Bulao, however, wanted Bocala punished for her “abusive act.”

            Arceño, meanwhile, said that since the fruit he threw at his pupil was slightly bigger than the size of a ping pong ball and that it was tender, it could not have inflicted serious injury to the boy.  The teacher said he felt so concerned with reports coming out in media saying that the boy was placed in the intensive care unit of a hospital after incurring serious injury in the head as a result of the fruit-throwing incident.

            The fruit was used by Arceño as a substitute for a ball he would press every now and then to prevent his hand from getting numb, the result of a stroke he suffered years back.

            Before the classroom incident last Aug. 13, the boy was absent from his class for three days because he had fever.  The boy’s parents also explained that their son had to be placed in the ICU because there was no available space in the hospital that time, Arceño said.

            It could not yet  be established whether the boy was hospitalized due to continuous fever or as a result of the classroom incident.

            Reynaldo D. Azcarraga, the school’s principal, said there was no hint or sign so far   that the parents of the boy would file a complaint against Arceño. 

            Nevertheless, Arceño expressed remorse for his action.

            Meanwhile, Bocala said she has agreed to be transferred to another school –the Panay Central School — as part of the compromise agreement with the pupil’s parents. 

            Bocala’s contention is found  in the supposed draft agreement apparently prepared by her lawyer and at her behest supposedly  to be signed by her and the pupil’s parents as a settlement.  The  agreement would  assure that the latter will drop the administrative charges they have filed against her and that they  would no longer pursue the criminal aspect of the case.

            But Bulao was not ready to exonerate Bocala of her misdemeanor as he refused to sign the supposed agreement, it was learned.

            In that agreement, Bulao,   would supposedly agree not to pursue the case against Bocala, the first party,  and that he and his wife, the second party,   would no longer bring up the case in media and other venues.

            The draft also specifies that Bocala and Bulao  agree that after they shall have signed the agreement, they would forget everything  as if nothing had happened and that they would move on with their respective lives while “maintaining their respect towards one another.”

            It was learned that Bocala expressed willingness to reimburse all the expenses incurred by the pupil’s parents as a result of the classroom incident.

The Capiz Times is published weekly by The Capiz Times, Inc. with business offices at 2/F Buyco Bldg., McKinley St., Roxas City 5800, Capiz, PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (63) (36) 621-0949 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (63) (36) 621-0949      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (formerly it was at MARC’s Apartments, Zamora St., Roxas City 5800, Capiz, PHILIPPINES).  Email:  thecapiztimes@yahoo.com  Subscription rates:  yearly (prepaid) PhP 1,000.00  (postpaid) PhP 1,500.00