The Department of Education (DepEd) vehemently condemns the alleged rape-slay of a Grade 7 learner of Tinawagan High School in Tigaon, Camarines Sur.

According to the school’s incident report, the victim was found lifeless at a banana plantation around 50 meters from her house. The victim’s younger brother attested that on December 7, 2017, he was walking home from school with his sister when she walked ahead, made a turn to the plantation, and suddenly disappeared.

Supposing that his sister went ahead, he and two other students went straight to their respective homes. Evening fell and the victim did not turn up, prompting her family to seek the help of barangay officers in finding her.

With an ongoing investigation, the Department will continue to coordinate with the authorities to help bring the perpetrator/s to justice and help the victim’s family find solace amid the cold-blooded tragedy.

Finally, DepEd remains committed to protecting the rights and well-being of its learners against any form of abuse, violence, threat, exploitation, and discrimination. The Department enjoins all members of the community to be vigilant and proactive in preventing and deterring incidents that endanger the health and lives of children.

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