DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Ateneo de Davao University confirmed on Thursday that a high ranking government official threatened a professor inside the campus over his child’s low grade.
The school clarified earlier reports on social media that the official drew a gun on the teacher, but affirmed the threats warranted them to push for legal action against the official.
The alleged official and the teacher that was threatened were not identified in the statement. But a police blotter identified the official as Remlani Tambuang, regional director of the Commission on Elections.
In his statement, AdDu President Fr. Joel Tabora, said Tambuang was accompanied by relatives and body guards into the AdDU campus last week. Tambuang confronted the teacher to complain about his graduating son’s low grades.
He was heard shouting “We are a family of lawyers and killers!” and “We can take down this school!”, Tabora’s statement said.
The police blotter said the confrontation between Tambuang and the Ateneo faculty member, reportedly from the Social Science and Education Program, took place at the fifth floor of the university’s Jubilee Building.
Tabora said they are taking these threats “very seriously as they threaten the safety and security of its personnel.”
“All the more so when said parent is a public official who is expected to be an exemplar for the rest of society, and whose public office is not to be regarded as license to strong-arm teachers into doing what the public servant demands,” Tabora added.
Tabora said they are taking necessary steps to file complaints against the official. “(When) said public official is also a member of the Philippine Bar where public displays of arrogant intimidation such as this one, rightfully deserve sanctions as they run contrary to their Lawyer’s Oath.”
“Parental bullying based on public office or one’s legal profession has no place at AdDU nor in any school,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
