Teacher cleared in sexual harassment case

CEBU, Philippines — A 59-year-old public school teacher was acquitted of sexual harassment case filed by his female student in 2015.

This after Judge Jose Nathaniel Andal of the Regional Trial Court Branch 24 dismissed the case against Carlito Quijano, who teaches Home Economics and Livelihood Education (HELE) at Guadalupe Elementary School in Cebu City, after complainant, then 12, showed no interest in pursuing the case.

“As prayed for by the accused, on ground stated in his motion dated April 4, 2019, specifically the lapse of 2 years since this case was provisionally dismissed on February 27, 2017, the dismissal is hereby considered permanent and with prejudice,” read the order.

Quijano and his wife, who is also a public school teacher, were happy of the development of the case.

Quijano allegedly summoned the complainant and her classmates to HELE classroom over their non-submission of lettering project on March 9, 2015.

In the course of their conversation, the complainant said, she was asked to submit either a rope or show him her thigh.

The complainant reportedly told Quijano that she preferred the rope since she would just text her mother to buy it.

But Quijano allegedly wanted to see the student’s thigh by holding and raising her skirt. The student quickly moved away, but the suspect kept asking her to show him her thigh. The teacher later pulled up her skirt and touched her thigh.

He denied the accusations hurled against him.

One of the complainant’s classmates executed an affidavit, saying the latter was not sexually harassed.

The student said they were met by Quijano during his scheduled class from 9:40-10:20 a.m., not at 12 noon as claimed by the complainant.

Quijano’s two co-teachers, also executed an affidavit, stating no unusual incident happened on that day.

The teachers claimed that Quijano is suffering from a nerve disorder, barring him from moving fast. (FREEMAN)