The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has condemned the "brazen act of abuse" experienced by four elementary school teachers from a suspect in Ocampo town in Camarines Sur last Aug. 8.
The CHR cited a Department of Education’s (DepEd) report that the teachers were preparing for the school opening when they were molested inside the campus.
Not only that, the CHR said police reports stated that the suspect took the teachers’ money and cellular telephones. It was not known immediately if the suspect has been identified or has been arrested.
"It is reprehensible that our valuable and committed teachers suffered such a brazen act of abuse," CHR Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said in a statement.
"It is also utterly alarming that this gender-based violence happened on school grounds, which are supposed to be safe havens for learners and teachers," De Guia, a lawyer, stressed.
She said that while CHR’s Region V has already started an investigation, the commission called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) and all concerned local agencies to ensure swift accountability of the attacker.
"This kind of traumatic abuse and crime within schools must be aggressively resolved for the redress of victims and to deter future similar incidents," she said.
The CHR recognized the "immediate action" taken by the DepEd, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Budget and Management in signing a Joint Memorandum Circular that allows the use of the Special Education Fund to hire at least one security personnel for each school.
The use of schools as isolation facilities, quarantine facilities, and long-term evacuation centers would now be prohibited under the joint circular.
De Guia said that the joint issuance is a "concrete step" in institutionalizing tighter security and in preventing further attacks in school zones.
She said the CHR has urged the PNP to implement proactive measures that will ensure the safety and security of campuses and their surrounding vicinities in preparation for the school opening.
"Addressing and preventing security concerns in schools deserve utmost priority considering that most school personnel are women and given the vulnerability of young learners," she also said.