DepEd chief orders probe on ‘pencil shavings’ death

Department of Education (DepEd) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Fe Hidalgo ordered yesterday an investigation into the death of a Grade 2 student, who died after allegedly being forced to swallow pencil shavings by a substitute teacher at a public school in Taguig.

"Director Teresita Domalanta this morning sent  some people to look into what really happened. Sometimes, we hear so much and the story may not entirely be very accurate. She has sent someone to investigate," Hidalgo said in an interview at the DepEd central office in Pasig City.

Domalanta is the regional director of DepEd-National Capital Region.

Hidalgo said if evidence is found, DepEd would file administrative charges against the teacher.

"Perhaps they first have to prove the cause of the death. We cannot say much at this point. We really have to prove if that it’s true," Hidalgo said.

The DepEd chief said they still have to wait for the medical report before they can decide on whether to file charges or not, especially since the death did not happen right away.

"We can only depend on what the medical people are saying," she said.

Normally, she said, it would be administrative charges that have to be filed by the DepEd. But she said the teacher could also face criminal charges.

Madel Redota, a student at the Silangan Elementary School, died after allegedly being made to swallow pencil shavings by her teacher as a form of punishment, according to a TV news report.

The school vowed to have the matter investigated.

The mother, Diana, initially thought an ordinary infection caused her daughter’s week-long fever so she was shocked when the child died Wednesday.

The cause of the child’s illness was not immediately known.

The girl’s throat was swollen and she had difficulty speaking, the report said.

The mother learned about the swallowing of pencil shavings from her daughter’s classmates.

According to the students, their teacher punished the nine-year-old Madel, believing she was the one who had scattered pencil shavings inside the classroom.

Although there was no autopsy performed, acute tonsillitis and asphyxiation pneumonia due to the extreme swelling of throat were stated as the official cause of death.

The girl’s parents complained to the principal last Thursday, but the concerned teacher was absent and could not be contacted.

Meanwhile, school principal Dr. Remedios Antonio said she only learned about the incident last Thursday.

After personally conducting an investigation she found out that Redota and another student Justine Caraga, 9, were allegedly made to eat pencil shavings by teacher Brenda Elbambuena, 45.

It appeared that on March 8, Mirofe Ilahas, who is assigned to the class, was absent so Elbambuena took over.

The students claimed that just after recess, Elbambuena became angry over pencil shavings scattered on the floor.

Suspecting that it was Redota and Caraga, the teacher ordered the two students to pick up the pencil shavings and eat them.

On March 10, Redota failed to report to class because of fever.

Last Tuesday, she was rushed to the Rizal Provincial Hospital, but did not reach the hospital alive due to acute tonsillitis.

Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga has also called for a thorough investigation into Redota’s death.

He stressed that proper charges should be filed against anyone found liable for the girl’s death.

The mayor likewise assured the child’s parents that they would receive legal help and burial assistance.

Tess Umali, Taguig’s executive assistant for education called on all teachers at all public elementary and high schools in the city to be patient with their students.

"I call on all our teachers to be humane in disciplining their students because no matter how severe the offense may be, no student deserves to be treated harshly," she said.