DOJ orders filing of case in court vs. school head

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Justice has ordered the filing of charges in court against the superintendent of Cebu International School for alleged violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti- Child Abuse law.

Former DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales reversed the decision of the Cebu City Prosecutors Office, which cleared CIS Superintendent Mark Betherton from charges for lack of probable cause.

The parents of an eight-year-old consistent honor student of CIS filed the complaint against Bretherton last year but the same was elevated to the DOJ after prosecutors dismissed the complaint. The DOJ resolution was released only last month.

The child’s parents accused Bretherton of siding a physical education teacher and the school’s athletics director, Brian Bedford, who allegedly grabbed the boy on the neck and lifted him to the air for stepping on a frog.

The incident reportedly happened twice in August 2004 and April 28 last year.

The parents said they first filed a case against Bedford but the same was later withdrawn after Betherton assured them that the incident would not happen again.

After the second incident, they lodged a complaint against both Bedford and Betherton but the complaint reportedly seemed disregarded.

An audio tape of the CIS Board of Trustees meeting also reportedly recorded Betherton allegedly badmouthing and discrediting the child and the complaint.

The parents also claimed that on May 7, 2008, CIS refused to admit the child back to the school allegedly upon Betherton’s orders. The school reportedly refused to accept their reservation fee.

Betherton allegedly told them that CIS could not readmit the kid as the school has decided to side Bedford and admitting the child would be a conflict of interest.

For his part, Betherton denied the accusations, saying he did not whitewash the investigation and that his decision to deny the kid of his enrollment was with blessings of the CIS Board of Trustees. It was reportedly the board that decided not to readmit the child until the complaint has been resolved. — Jasmin R. Uy/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)