The DepEd Must Rid Itself of Child Sexual Abusers

The DepEd Must Rid Itself of Child Sexual Abusers
Francis B. Bermido Jr.

Franco N. Aranas, a teacher of New Cabalan High School in Olongapo City who was found guilty of grave misconduct and ordered dismissed from service, is hoping the Regional Director of the Department of Education (DepEd) will reverse, modify and/or set aside the DepEd Decision dated October 7, 2021. He filed a motion for reconsideration through his private counsel Atty. Alruela Bundang-Ortiz.

It can be remembered that his victims, three-minors including a 15-year-old trafficking victim, all testified during the DepEd formal investigation and narrated how Franco N. Aranas groomed and then sexually abused them in two separate incidents in the Sunshine Lodge in Olongapo City. All three said Franco Aranas forced them to have oral and anal sex with him.

The three minors also filed criminal complaints against Franco N. Aranas for violation of the Anti-Child Abuse Law and Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law and gave clear and straight-forward testimonies. The Family Court gave credence to the testimony of the 15-year-old trafficking victim that resulted into the conviction of two accomplices of Franco Aranas.

In the motion for reconsideration, Franco Aranas through Atty. Alreula Bundang-Ortiz argued that the alleged offense happened outside of the school and not in the performance of his duty as a teacher and said Aranas should only be liable for immoral conduct, which is penalized merely by six months suspension. However, he did not present new evidence that would materially affect the decision.

In related news, the Preda Foundation welcomes the recent statement of DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones that it will not tolerate any form of abuse towards children. Secretary Briones has instructed the Regional Director of DepEd Central Luzon to investigate a certain teacher that featured in a viral TikTok video insinuating “potential” child abuse action and mete him with appropriate sanction. The DepEd also pledged to strengthen its policies protecting learners from all forms of abuse.

To prove that the above statement is not merely lip service to child protection, the DepEd must strictly implement its zero tolerance for child abuse policy and rid its ranks of teachers as well as non-teaching personnel that use their position to abuse and exploit learners. If the teacher in the viral TikTok video can be sanctioned for “potential” child abuse action, all the more Franco Aranas who three victims said sexually abused them must be given the gravest administrative penalty: dismissal.

In this way, the DepEd will prevent a repeat of the incident in 2019 when the Regional Trial Court in Olongapo City found Corskie San Jose, another DepEd Olongapo teacher, guilty beyond reasonable doubt twice of lascivious conduct for abusing two male students in 2017 and sentenced him to a minimum of eight years imprisonment in one case and a minimum of 12 years in the other case and yet the DepEd meted him the penalty of six months suspension only. He served the six-months suspension and is now back to teaching. Now, the DepEd is in an embarrassing situation as it appears that it is harboring a convicted child abuser, Corskie San Jose, in its ranks.

#FrancoAranas
#CorskieSanJose

Disclaimer: Photo is not that of Franco Aranas or Corskie San Jose. Franco Aranas and Corskie San Jose are teachers of Olongapo DepEd. The teacher that went viral on TikTok is from Pampanga.

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