National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Officer-in-Charge Director Medardo G. De Lemos said on Tuesday, July 12, he has ordered the creation of special team of investigators to probe reports of abuses at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) in Los Baños, Laguna.
De Lemos said the creation of the team was done on request by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte who sought the NBI’s help in probing the alleged abuses at PHSA.
“We received the request at pa imbestigahan namin agad ito (and we will have this investigated immediately,” De Lemos said.
He said he has instructed NBI Deputy Director for Investigation Vicente A. De Guzman III to form a special team and act with dispatch, and “to submit a report within 7 days,” he said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had disclosed that it sought the assistance of the NBI to look into the reports of emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse allegations in the PHSA.
“The agency does not tolerate abuses in any form. Under the strong leadership of Secretary Sara Duterte, DepEd will continuously promote a healthy and safe environment for our learners and teachers,” DepEd said in an official statement.
Apart from tapping the NBI, DedEd said it has begun its own investigation by seeking the assistance of its Child Protection Unit (CPU) and Child Rights in Education Desk (CREDe) to look into the reports in relation with DepEd’s Child Protection Policy.