This news item came as a bit of shock to me this morning:
According to the news report, nine-year old Delmar Redota died last Wednesday. According to the report:
Redota, a Grade II pupil at the Silangan Elementary School Main in Barangay Upper Bicutan had died before dawn, exactly a week after a teacher allegedly forced her to swallow pencil shavings in class. [INQ7]
The thought of this possibly happening to any child, including my daughter, sends chills down my spine. It even shocks me more to find out that such teachers still exist, when the heavyhandedness of teachers of yesteryears have become taboo.
Brenda Elbambuena, Redota’s teacher, is now in hiding. I find it sad that the parents choose not to pursue a case against her, but despite that fact, Elbambuena still remains liable not only for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, but also for child abuse.
She’s lucky I’m not Redota’s father. If I were in his place I’d probably be hunting her down right now with the intent of killing her with my bare hands.
5 responses so far ↓
1 sparks // Mar 19, 2006 at 11:44 am
Ngek. Lipat-bahay ka na pala.
2 Jon Limjap // Mar 21, 2006 at 4:35 pm
sparks,
yup. i’ve always dreamed of having my own home. kahit sa cyberspace lang :p
3 mayet // Mar 22, 2006 at 2:05 pm
i saw the whole story in ABS CBN’s XXX last week. I really don’t understand teachers such as this Brenda. I don’t understand why they chose to become teachers. They would always say na napupuno na sila sa mga estudyante kaya nila nagagawa yun. In the first place alam nilang ganun ang magiging situation nila pag naging teacher na sila. Kung ayaw nilang mamatay sa konsumisyon di wag silang mag-teacher. Kung ako yung nanay ng student, baka napatay ko na rin yang teacher na yan!
4 bugsybee // Mar 24, 2006 at 12:25 am
I was about to write about this but I have mixed feelings about Mr. Redota – pity and anger. I cannot imagine a parent’s grief when a child predeceases him/her so, for the life of me, I cannot understand Mr. Redota’s refusal to file a case against the teacher. He said he didn’t want the case to remind him of his daughter. Ngek! Ano ba yan, Jon? I am not a parent but I would think that any normal parent would like to have justice for his/her child. Even if the state can prosecute this witch of a teacher, I believe Mr. and Mrs. Redota should actively campaign for justice for the poor little girl so other parents and educators will be more vigilant in protecting innocent children.
5 Jon Limjap // Mar 24, 2006 at 1:48 pm
mayet,
true true. nababadtrip ako sa mga teacher na alam na maikli ang pasensya nila sa bata (or hindi mahilig sa bata). Bakit pa sila mananatiling teacher kung di naman nila gusto ang kanilang ginagawa?
bugs,
Alam mo naghihinala tuloy ako sa magulang niya. Pakiramdam ko, pinagbubuhatan din ng kamay ng magulang iyong bata, at natatakot silang makita iyon sa isang autopsy. It’s quite possible.
Anyway nagsampa na ng kaso yung 2nd child na pinakain din ng shavings.
Ang masama, meron nanaman akong nabasang kabalastugan na ginawa ng isang teacher sa dyaryo kanina. Magboblog ako tungkol dun either tonight or tomorrow.
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