BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews/21 Oct) — A part-time computer instructor at a Catholic-run university here was charged Monday at a local court for sexual harassment and child abuse after he allegedly threatened to flunk his teenage girl student if she would refuse to have sex with him in a motel.
The suspect, Jose Vicente Villa, 39, resident of San Vicente, Butuan City and a part time computer teacher at Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU), is now detained at the Butuan City Jail.
The charges stemmed from the complaint filed at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Caraga regional office here by Mary Ann (not her real name), a 17-year-old freshman computer student at FSUU.
In her affidavit, the victim narrated that on October 11 she learned that she has a failing grade on Villa’s computer class. She said that she proposed to her teacher to submit a project to make up for her failing grade but instead she was allegedly offered by Villa to give her the highest grade in exchange of sexual favors.
For fear, the Mary Ann informed her parents about Villa’s “malicious intent.” The family decided to bring the case to the NBI. The NBI assigned agent Gabriel Falcon to set up an entrapment operation against the teacher.
Around 6 p.m. on same day, Villa sent a text message to the victim that they will meet at the Aling Cora Restaurant’s parking lot. Mary Ann, on instructions of the NBI, went to the place. A few minutes later, Villa arrived with his white pickup type Multicab with plate number GLM-607.
Moments later, Villa drove Mary Ann toward the Beehive Motel in Barangay Bancasi in the western side city, never knowing that the NBI operatives were tailing them.
The teacher and his student then checked in, and just moments after they entered the motel room came the NBI agents and arrested the suspect.
Mario F. Sison, NBI regional director, recommended and filed inquest charges for violations of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) and Republic Act 7877 (Anti Sexual Harassment Act).
The suspect, who was first brought to the NBI office, refused to be interviewed by the media.
Sison, himself a lawyer, called on the other victims of Villa to also come out and file a complaint. He said the incident should serve as a lesson and deter others from committing such crimes. (Alden Pantaleon Jr. / MindaNews)
