| Bacolod City, Philippines | Friday, August 25, 2006 |
 |
| Front Page |
| Negros Oriental |
| Star Business |
| Opinion |
| Sports |
| Police Beat |
| Star Life |
| People & Events |
vs. teachers, athletes
INVOLVED IN COVERAGE , PALARO SCANDAL
|
The Department of Education will file charges next week against the 11 teachers and 15 student-athletes, who caused the scandal that rocked the 2006 Palarong Pambansa in Naga City last May. In an interview with ABS-CBN, DepEd Undersecretary for legal and legislative affairs Franklin Sunga said that his office will file criminal prosecution and administrative charges against the 11 teachers, including two principals and one district supervisor. Sunga said that the teachers who will be facing criminal charges like falsification of documents will be suspended immediately, while those who will be filed with neglect of duty will still be allowed to teach. The 15 student-athletes are all facing perpetual ban from the DepEd-sanctioned events, while criminal charges might also be considered for those who are above 18 years old, Sunga said. The scandal erupted when parents of the National Capital Region elementary baseball players lodged a complaint to the DepEd that the batters of Calabarzon were overage because of their physical features. The mother of one of the Calabarzon players earlier admitted in national TV and daily publications that her son was already 18 years old, six years over than the age limit in the elementary hostilities. A trackster from Mimaropa also withdrew his participation from elementary athletics after some coaches and trainers of the other competing regions recognized him as a second year college student at the Far Eastern University. Sunga said that the DepEd will allot a longer time for screening to prevent the cheating cases as well as use the internet as a tool wherein the athletes will be required to post their pictures earlier. Philippine Sports Commission chairman William "Butch" Ramirez said that he lauds the decision of the DepEd to file charges against the culprits because cheating in sports has been rampant in the country. *CIT |
