THE ADMINISTRATION of the Philippine High School for the Arts assured the Senate Committee on Basic Education it is conducting investigation on the alleged abuses inside its campus.

PHSA Executive Director Josue Greg Zuniega said the school’s committee on decorum and investigation is spearheading the investigation and the National Bureau of Investigation is also probing the issue.

However, no formal complaints had been filed with the investigative body.

Zuniega said the NBI as well as local police had already asked for the contact information of the said victims of abuse.

He added the authorities managed to contact some of them but no one pushed through with the filing of cases.

Zuniega informed the committee that one of the teachers who was allegedly involved in the issue had already passed away last year.

“Meron po tayong alegasyon concerning isang teacher na namatay na po siya. Wala na po siya, namatay na po siya last year,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zuniega urged all victims of alleged abuse at the school to come forward and bring their complaints in the proper forum.

He lamented the trial by media after the issue of alleged abuses in the state-run elite arts school was reported, but clarified he sympathizes with the victims.

“‘Yung iba po, karamihan sa social media lang po nagkukuwento. Ine-encourage po namin sila na lumapit para magkaroon tayo ng tamang proseso para pakinggan natin ito,” Zuniega said.

“Unfortunately po ang nangyari po dito ay naging trial by media na. So para maging malinis ang ating proseso po ay idaan po sana natin sa tamang paraan, sa tamang forum at ito po ang ine-encourage po natin,” he stresed.

It can be recalled the Department of Education asked for NBI’s help to investigate allegations of emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse at the Philippine High School for the Arts in Los Baños, Laguna.