Investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the alleged sexual and emotional abuse in the state-run Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) should send in results of their probe “as soon as possible.”
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte made the comment on Thursday, referring to earlier reports that PHSA staff allegedly abusing students for more than 10 years now.
Reports also said the PHSA staff allegedly took advantage of the fact that the boarding school is in an isolated location in Los Banos, Laguna.
“We picked an agency outside of DepEd to investigate and we tapped the NBI. In our letter to the NBI, we told them that we need the result of their investigation and their recommendations as soon as possible,” Duterte, quoted by GMA News, said.
Duterte, who is also a lawyer, said she decided that DepEd should not dip its hands on the ongoing investigation since it could result in a cover up, GMA News reported.
“We did not do the investigation anymore because I would expect that bias [of probers in favor of people within DepEd ranks] could come into play,” she said.
Department of Justice (DOC) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla also earlier said that he has tasked the NBI “to prioritize the probe of the PHSA case.”
Bagong Henerasyon party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera meanwhile said she supports the investigation called by the Vice President.
“We fully support the call by Vice President Duterte for a deep probe into reports of what appears to be a disturbing culture in the PHSA,” Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera said.
Duterte had earlier requested the National Bureau of Investigation to provide a comprehensive report on allegations of sexual, verbal and emotional abuse suffered by generations of PHSA students.
A team from the DepEd has also been sent to PHSA to directly look into the matter. The PHSA is the country’s premier high school for young artists.
Herrera said she was saddened to hear that “such forms of abuse took place where children are expected to be safe.”
“No educational institution in this country should ever be an environment where young people feel unsafe, let alone somewhere that any form of abuse can take place,” she said.
PHSA has been under fire following the release of a report by Vice World News on the abuses suffered by students at the hands of teachers and staff.
The report also mentioned that the complaints from “generations of abused students” have been ignored by school authorities.
Herrera said those who were responsible for these “sickening acts” must be held accountable. She also expressed hope that the PHSA controversy will result in better policies for ensuring the safety and protection of students in schools.
