Taguig teacher in child abuse case now in hiding

The teacher who reportedly abused and caused the death of a Grade 2 pupil in Taguig City, has gone into hiding.

SPO3 Regie Gapasin, of the Taguig Police Station, said they visited Brenda Elbambuena, at her residence in Barangay Upper Bicutan yesterday but did not find her there.

Gapasin said the house was locked and the teacher reportedly has not showed up in the house since the alleged child abuse was reported by the victim’s parents to school authorities. Since then, the suspect has also not reported for work.

The Taguig police was accompanied by a representative of the local Social Welfare and Development Office when they tried to get in touch with Elbambuena to get her side of the story.

Nitz Jordan, head of the Office of Social Welfare and Development, has earlier mobilized a team to coordinate with the police team investigating the case of Maria Delmar Redota, who was made to swallow pencil shavings by Elbambuena as punishment, and another student, Justine Caraga, who was almost went through the same ordeal.

Although the cause of death of Redota is acute tonsillitis and there is no clear evidence to point that this was caused by her being made to eat pencil shavings, Jordan said that the act of Elbambuena itself warrants the filing of a case of child abuse against her.

The Taguig City government said it is also set to file criminal charges against Elbambuena.