Public School Teacher in Olongapo Charged for Sexual Abuse and Trafficking

Public School Teacher in Olongapo Charged for Sexual Abuse and Trafficking

 

Three male high school students from Olongapo City, assisted by their guardians and by a registered social worker of the Preda Foundation, filed on 12 March 2019 separate complaints for sexual abuse and qualified trafficking in the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office against Franco Aranas, a teacher in one of the high schools in this city.

One of the minor-complainants said he was threatened by two other teenagers into going with Mr. Aranas to Sunshine Lodge in Olongapo City. He said the two teenagers, who are also charged in the complaint, made sure he went into the lodge as they watched him threateningly from a short distance as he walked to the lodge. According to him, when he entered the room Mr. Aranas was  already waiting and soon  began to sexually abuse him and gave him P500 afterwards. Then, the suspect left the room and instructed him to leave after a few minutes. Outside the lodge, the two teenagers then approached him and took from him the P500 and gave him only P20.

The two other minor-complainants also alleged that they were brought by Mr. Aranas to the same lodge where he also sexually abused them.

The Preda Foundation, after conducting its own investigation, found out that Mr. Aranas already faced criminal and administrative charges for sexual harassment of a male student in 2018. However, based on records available, the mother of the victim in the sexual harassment case filed an affidavit of desistance after Mr. Aranas signed a notarized affidavit of undertaking in which he said he will resign from the Department of Education (Deped) apparently in exchange of the withdrawal of the case against him. The Preda Foundation has confirmed with the Schools Division of Olongapo City through Superintendent Bernadette F. Tamayo that Mr. Aranas has not resigned from the DepEd and thus he continues to teach and have access to children and youth. She also said that the mother of the complainant received money so she, the mother, withdrew the complaint. 

The Preda Foundation, a government registered and licensed non-government organization, laments the fact that the sexual harassment case against Mr. Aranas filed in 2018 has been stalled despite a DepEd Order No. 49 Series of 2006 that states “withdrawal of the complaint does not result in its outright dismissal nor in the discharge of the person complained of from any administrative liability.”

Furthermore, the Preda Foundation reminds all duty-bearers particularly teachers and school administrators about their duty to help victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking, discrimination and bullying. Section 5 of the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of Republic Act 7610 states that it is “the duty of all teachers and administrators in public schools. . . to report all incidents of child abuse .” Preda encourages the teachers to a attend one-day training-seminar on child protection it offers free of charge.

Hotel owners, managers and staff are also reminded about Section 18 of the IRR of RA 7610, which states that “the Department [of Social Welfare and Development] shall immediately close the establishment or enterprise found to have promoted, facilitated or conducted activities constituting child abuse.”

The Preda Foundation also encourages children and youth to report to authorities they trust if ever they fall victims to abuse or if they know of any case of child abuse. The Preda hotline for reporting child abuse cases is 0917 532 4453.

 

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