MANILA, Philippines — TV and radio commentator Raffy Tulfo has replied to the Education department’s statement on Sunday that said his act of pressuring a teacher to quit her job for alleged maltreatment of a student is against Department of Education policy, deprived the teacher of her right to due process, and bypasses an ongoing process.

During his “Wanted sa Radyo” program on Monday, Raffy criticized DepEd for allegedly focusing only on the teacher and not reaching out to the aggrieved student and the student’s family.

“Marami po sa inyo d’yan ang nasaisip palagi ay ‘yun bang kawawa po si teacher. Si teacher po ay naapi… And yet ni isa sa inyo, ni isa, kasama na po d’yan ‘yung DepEd school authorities, wala man lang ni isang nag-reach out sa family maging sa bata na para sabihing, ‘Sir, ma’am, hijo, kamusta kayo? How are you taking it, my child? Ikaw ba eh nakakakain pa, hijo? Ikaw ba’y nakakatulog pa? Bakit ‘di ka na pumapasok ng ilang araw? What is going on? Is there anything we can do to help you na para po ma-ease itong stress sa’yo, sa family mo, at sa ina rin?’ Wala po eh. Wala talaga!” Tulfo said.

According to DepEd, the on-air confrontation on Tulfo's "Tulfo in Action" program was a "move for on-the-spot compromise" since it bargained "the resignation of the teacher in exchange for the non-filing of complaints against her."

DepEd said that in its Child Protection Policy, "incidents of child abuse are not subject to compromise."

In response, Tulfo said that DepEd’s Child Protection Policy includes the department’s mandate to teachers to not physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically abuse a child.

“D’yan po sa Child Protection Policy, nakasaad po, yes, nirerecognize po ng DepEd ‘yung mga karapatan ng mga guro na mag-disiplina sa mga estudyante nila, pero hindi pwedeng gawin ito, ito, ito… ‘yun pong maltreatment physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically. In fact, sinabi pa nga sa 2012 na memorandum ng DepEd, ‘Zero tolerance!’,” he said.

“Marami po sa inyo ay nakakalimot na meron po tayo na tinatawag na R.A. 7610. At ano po ‘yung napapaloob sa R.A. 7610? Bawal po ang manakit ng bata whether physically, emotionally, psychologically. Hindi po dapat ginagawa ‘yan dahil protektado ang mga bata ng batas na ‘yan.”

He also slammed DepEd for allegedly not implementing the Child Protection Committee clause under the Child Protection Policy.

“On top of that, nakapaloob po d’yan, inuutusan po ng DepEd ang lahat ng paaralan na magtatag ng Child Protection Committee, CPC. Ano po ‘yung Child Protection Committee? Ito po ay isang grupo (na) kinabibilangan dapat ng principal, guidance, representative from the teacher, representative from the student, barangay, social worker,” the broadcaster explained.

According to him, if DepEd was able to implement the Child Protection Committee rule in every school, then parents and students would not have to run to him to complain against their teachers.

“Wala po ‘yan. Hindi po sinusunod ‘yan. Dahil kapag meron po ‘yan, ‘yan po dapat ang dumidinig sa mga nangyaring problema between parents and teachers or teachers and students. Wala pong nabuong committee ang anumang eskwelahan, (sa) pagkakaalam ko. Kasi po kung meron sana ‘yan, hindi na po kinailangan pang pumunta dito sa ‘Wanted sa Radyo’ ang mga magulang para ireklamo ang mga pang-aabuso ng mga guro.

Because doon pa lamang, mapapakinggan na kanilang mga problema sa pagkat ang makikinig sa problema nila hindi lang po si principal at si guro, kundi marami pa po. Kung sakaling magsabwatan si principal at si guro, nandyan po ‘yung guidance, nandyan po ‘yung barangay, nandyan po ‘yung social worker, nand’yan po representate ng estudyante.”

He said what happened should serve as a “wakeup call” for everyone, but most especially for DepEd to revisit its policies.

“Napakaganda po ‘yung Child Protection Committee. Pero bakit ‘di po sinunod? Bakit po hindi inimplement? I think this is the time na ‘yung DepEd tignan n’yo po ‘yung inyong 2012 na memorandum order sa mga guro, sa mga eskwelahan na magbuo ng Child Protection Committee. Do it now, dahil sa memorandum order na ‘yan ma-eeducate ‘yung mga guro kung ano ‘yung pwede nilang gawin at anong hindi nilang pwedeng gawin.”