MANILA, Philippines – Just a week after helping two parents find their missing baby, Raffy Tulfo’s show made rounds yet again on social media – only this time, netizens are not happy.
In one of the latest episodes of “Raffy Tulfo in Action,” a grandmother and two parents went on the program to complain about a teacher who was allegedly maltreating their child.
CCTV footage showed teacher Melita Limjuco forcing the Grade 2 student to sit outside the classroom as punishment for not bringing his report card. The student, who sat outside for one whole period, eventually drew attention from passersby – parents and fellow students alike – which the grandmother said must have been humiliating for her grandson.
Asked what she wanted as a consequence for the teacher, Rosemil Edroso, the mother, said: “Ayaw ko namang ipakulong siya. Magpahinga na lang siya. Mawalan siya ng lisensiya (I don't want to send her to jail. She should rest instead, and have her license revoked).” The father agreed.
Tulfo then asked the teacher over a phone call, aired on the program, if she would rather have the issue brought to court, or agree to have her license revoked.
“Iyon na lang pong desisyon ng father at mother (I'll go with the father and mother's decision),” the teacher responded.
The end result did not sit well with netizens and sparked outrage on social media. #JusticeForTeachers and #Tulfo trended on Twitter Friday, November 22, drawing more attention to the issue.
Netizens lamented that the teacher was not given the due process that she rightfully deserved.
My God #Tulfo, pls filter the cases you’re trying to resolve. Oo nagkamali guro ang teacher but you’re not in the position to expose it in TV. You’re putting the tchr in shame. Not that I’m protecting my co-teacher but there are legal procedures to that case. Goodness.
You worked all your life to get the license. Devoted and served the community for so many years with not-so-huge amount of salary compare to the everyday tons of paper works and the knowledge you need to mold with these kids. Tulfo the teacher deserves a fair judgement!#Tulfo
Some also pointed out that Tulfo’s program did not have the authority to address such conflicts and make decisions that have legal repercussions.
DEPED should make a right decision NOT TULFO !!! #JusticeforTeachers
Sorry Mr. #Tulfo but this episode has gone too far. https://t.co/lT1N3Q8bSH
You have no right to decide to remove the license of the teacher. DepEd should be the one investigating this and not you. Where's the part wherein you need to hear both sides than just listening to
Doesn't the school have a clear policy on discipline or can they go to @DepEd_PH ? Why resort to the court of Tulfo brothers ? What a terrible justice system #RaffyTulfoInActionhttps://t.co/jCQjlNOi38
I really don't get it. Why do they need to go that far? Asking TULFO for the justice? This issue can be settle through the conference of both parties with the school administrators. Where are you? HOY PAGMATA.
Are we not supposed to confront an issue with the person/s involved? Are we not supposed to raise our concerns to the right authority? Do we get the justice we think we deserve by calling #Tulfo?#JusticeforTeachers
‘Tulfo justice’
Meanwhile, some criticized the program format itself, which, similar to Tulfo’s “Itimbre Mo Kay Tulfo” TV segment, aims to “air and act on complaints from ordinary citizens.”
I hope people would realize that there is no such thing as TULFO JUSTICE.
— Bonanafana Fonikki (@macronikki) November 22, 2019
Not-so-hot-take:
Tulfo's program is a return to Pagan times. Every episode is exploitative. Each one is a witch trial, and Tulfo is the one holding the torch. But what makes it doubly disgusting is that you all cheer when real people get burned.
People can be horrible.
For me, yeah Tulfo is entertaining but it’s not the ‘Proper Judicial Process’
I hope people realized that there is no such thing as #Tulfo justice. Dont act like you’re a judge!
I mean its time you guys rethink about Raffy Tulfo and his program. Just because he had helped a lot of people doesn’t mean he is always right. Very disappointed at how he judged the latest episode. Hugging all the teachers out there.
I hope people would realize that there is no such thing as TULFO JUSTICE.
Netizens emphasized its inclination to “trial by publicity,” which they said only encourages mob mentality.
Trial by publicity and mob mentality is fine until someone is wrongly accused. In the case of Tulfo let's not forget that he isn't alone with this. He have his fans that put him in the pedestal and gave him his status as a paragon of a false justice system. Patronize n'yo pa.
Trial by publicity is fine with you fans of @raffytulfo until someone is wrongly accused. Do not forget that you FANS gave him the power to enforce this so called "TULFO JUSTICE". He acts like a judge with no trial and due process of law. Patronize pa more!
This time I will unfollow and unsubscribe Raffy Tulfo in Action because I find it so unfair for what he did to our coteacher, trial by publicity on national television without any due process! Very degrading! Teacher the noblest profession? Hmm#raffytulfoinactionbias
Tulfo is really suited for the mob mentality of this era. Doesn't matter if a teacher's job is jeopardized. Doesn't matter if someone ends her life because of being labelled a gold digger publicly. We get our kick of feeling morally superior to these people. And he gets money.
Meanwhile, netizens have rallied support for the teacher since the episode circulated online.
A lawyer also offered to help the teacher regarding the legal process. In his Facebook update on Friday night, November 22, lawyer Joseph Noel Estrada said that the parents and the teacher have already reconciled with the help of a Department of Education (DepEd) supervisor.
"Nagkaayos na po sila teacher at ang panig ng magulang sa tulong po ng DepEd supervisor. Sabi po ni teacher e, alang-alang sa bata, tinanggap niya na din ang sorry nila," he said.
(The teacher and the parents have sorted things out with the help of a DepEd supervisor. The teacher also said that for the sake of the child, she had accepted the parents' apology.) – Rappler.com