Teacher accused of slapping student receives 90-day suspension from DepEd
The Department of Education (DepEd) has placed the teacher accused of slapping a Grade 5 student who died days after under a 90-day suspension.
Radyo dzBB reported that the agency imposed the suspension as a preventive measure while the investigation against the teacher is ongoing.
It comes a week after Francis Jay Gumikib, a fourteen-year-old student, died after falling into a coma on Oct. 2. Weeks prior, on Sept. 20, Gumikib was allegedly slapped by the teacher after he complained about his noisy classmates. The teacher reportedly pulled his hair before slapping him.
The Peñafrancia Elementary School student complained about constant severe headaches and pain in his ear in the next few days. On Sept. 26, Gumikib was rushed to the hospital after experiencing dizziness, vomiting, and loss of balance. He went into a coma and died on Oct. 2.
Gumikob's death certificate states that he died of "global brain edema" or swelling in the brain due to increased water content which, according to the document, resulted from "acute intraparenchymal hemorrhage left medullary pontine area" or bleeding in the brain.
Hector Sorra, Medico-Legal Division chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Forensic Group, said in press briefing on Oct. 9 that the teenager's body underwent autopsy and histopathology as part of the investigation on the exact cause of his death. He said results of the medico-legal examination is expected to be released within the week.
“We are trying our best na expedite, hopefully baka within the week makapagbigay kami pero ‘di aabot ng 30 days,” Sorra said.
He noted that pulmonary tuberculosis was also detected in Gumikib's lungs but that alone would not affect the bleeding in his head.
Apart from DepEd and PNP, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is also investigating the case.