MANILA – Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said habitual sex offenders must not be allowed to teach or be employed in any school in the country saying a number of them continue as sex offenders victimizing innocent students.
Hontiveros noted that a teacher-predator from St. Theresa’s College Quezon City (STCQC) who had resigned in 2016 was found to have been teaching at Angeles University Foundation (AUF) in the school year 2019-2020.
According to a report, as of February last year, the teacher was employed in yet another school. The victim-survivors in both STCQC and AUF confirmed grooming and sexual advances from the same teacher.
Hontiveros said that schools should show their students that abusers will be made accountable. This also tells young people that they will be heard, not dismissed or silenced.
She said that STQC in fact succeeded in its campaign in resolving sexual harassment cases as the abuser’s employment was terminated after a month.
“Nakakabahala na yung mga tinanggal o nag-resign na guro dahil sa pang-aabuso at harassment sa isang school, ay pwede lang magturo ulit sa ibang paaralan. Wala tayong nalutas na problema kung hinahayaan nating palipat-lipat lang ang mga abuser (It is alarming that a teacher who was terminated or resigned because of sexual abuses and harassment are allowed to teach in other schools. If we allow this, we cannot solve the problem). Sexual predators should never be allowed to be around children," Hontiveros said.
The senator's remarks came after the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, which revealed that a teacher and an employee of the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) in Los Baños City, Laguna province remained employed despite the accusations against them.
Hontiveros said there is currently no policy that bars someone, who resigned or was dismissed due to sexual abuse from applying to another educational institution.
The senator added that the Philippine government should look into Australia’s “Working with Children Check," an additional layer of screening for adults whose work involves being in the regular company of children.
“Mismong mga estudyante na ang gumagawa ng paraan para protektahan ang mga kapwa nila mag-aaral (Students are now the ones making move to protect their fellow students). Our children have been calling on all of us to do better. Hindi sila maayos na pinakinggan kaya’t kinakailangan pang ipa-trend sa social media ang hashtag na #DoBetter (They were being ignored, that’s why they resolve to publish their complaints in social media with hashtag #DoBetter). Let’s listen to them this time,” Hontiveros said. (PNA)
