The Department of Education (DepEd) will extend assistance so the family of Francis Jay Gumikib, the Grade 5 student who died of global brain edema after being slapped by his teacher, can obtain justice.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte visits the wake of Grade 5 student Francis Jay Gumikib who died after being allegedly slapped by his teacher. (Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook)

In a post on Facebook, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, who visited Gumikib’s wake last Oct. 6, detailed the agency will do in response to the student’s death.

She said she was able to talk with Gumikib’s parents as they await the autopsy results to find out the true cause of death.

“Paniniguraduhin ng DepEd na mas maging mabilis ang mga administratibong proseso nito (DepEd will ensure its quick administrative process),” the official vowed, adding that the DepEd Regional Office in Antipolo City had only been given until Oct. 9 to finish its fact-finding investigation and issue formal charges.

Those involved in the incident will be temporarily suspended, the official said, and a possible child abuse case because of the slapping can also be filed.

“Tutulungan ng DepEd ang mga magulang ng mga mag-aaral sa paghahain ng mga kasong kriminal sa mga kinauukulang awtoridad kung may basehan ito sa ebidensya at autopsy result (DepEd will help the parents of the student to filed criminal cases against the respective authorities if there is merit based on the evidence and autopsy result),” Duterte wrote.

The agency will also extend immediate “Psychological First Aid” for Gumikib’s parents and siblings.

Duterte likewise wanted DepEd to help the victim’s elder siblings to go back to school either through late enrollment or through the agency’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).

For Gumikib’s younger siblings who were traumatized by what happened and are having a hard time attending face-to-face classes, Duterte said that they would be placed under DepEd’s blended learning program so they can continue their studies.

Gumikib, 14-year old student of Peńafrancia Elementary School, died on Oct. 2 after being rushed to the hospital on Sept. 26 due to severe earache and eventual vomiting.

He fell into a coma during his confinement.

His classmates claimed that their female Filipino teacher slapped him on the ear on Sept. 20 as a form of punishment because the class was being unruly.

The teacher, who denied the incident, also supposedly pulled Gumikib’s hair before slapping him.

His death certificate from the hospital stated that his cause of death was global brain edema, with an antecedent cause of acute intraparenchymal hemorrhage or bleeding into the brain tissue.

Other significant conditions which contributed to his death included presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis and child physical abuse.