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CHR: Suspending QCSHS pupils over blog may violate rights


MANILA, Philippines – The suspension slapped on four students of Quezon City Science High School (QCSHS) for posting an alleged damaging blog entry against their principal and other school officials may constitute human rights violation, the Human Rights Commission warned Sunday. Radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus on Sunday quoted CHR chairperson Leila de Lima as saying that cracking the whip on the four students may be violative of Republic Act 7610, known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act De Lima also expressed intent to look into the matter as she urged the parents of the students to file human rights complaints against the school administration should the suspension be formalized. Last Friday, the Department of Education (DepEd) blocked the 10-day suspension ordered by QCSHS principal Zenaida Sadsad. The penalty was supposed to be implemented on January 19, Monday. Sadsad had argued that the blog entry against her and some QCSHS officials was not just damaging to them but to the school's reputation as well. She added that the entry caused alarm among their alumni. Last week, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) mulled the filing of a complaint against the QCSHS administration before the DepEd and the Congress on behalf of the students. The group likewise slammed the decision to penalize the students with a 10-day suspension, tagging the move as "campus repression." "It is disturbing to learn that high school students, in their very young age, are being subjected to this kind of campus repression, their right to freedom of speech and expression undermined," CEGP national president Vijae Alquisola said in a statement issued on Thursday. - GMANews.TV
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