British School officials cleared in student’s suicide

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has junked the criminal charge against officials of British School of Manila stemming from the suicide of their student, Liam Madamba, last year.

In a resolution approved last June 16 but released only recently, the DOJ junked for lack of probable cause the complaint for obstruction of justice against 16 school officials, including their British head Simon Mann, filed by Madamba’s mother Trixie.

Investigating prosecutors explained that there could be no basis to indict the respondents because there was no criminal investigation conducted on Liam’s death.

Because of the lack of criminal investigation, the DOJ stressed that there could be no investigation to obstruct, impede, frustrate or delay as required under Presidential Decree 1829 (law penalizing obstruction of justice).

Prosecutors further held that there was no obstruction of justice committed when the school administration allowed Liam’s teacher, Natalie Mann, to go on a leave of absence and eventually resign from the school because she could not be considered a suspect for any crime in relation to Liam’s death.

It pointed out that the charges in the complaint were too general, tantamount to a fishing expedition and contrary to the purpose of the law.

The DOJ further cited the failure of complainant to show the participation of each of the respondents.

Apart from Simon, the other school officers cleared by the DOJ are Trevor Lewis, Brendan Egan, Martyn Turner, William Thomas, Ross Tweddell, Simon Bewley, Etein Melsbo, Bart Edes, Paul Ingram, Alison Doig Henderson, Andrew Logan, Alan Hearn, Anne Haslam, David Gold, Angel Guerrero and Catherine Tantoco-Daniels.

The school welcomed the DOJ’s dismissal of the complaint.

“BSM puts the well-being and education of its students first at all times. This is, and always will be, the school’s driving ethos,” Bewley said in a statement sent to The STAR.

“BSM echoes the prosecutor’s empathy with Mrs. Madamba over the tragic loss of her son, but is grateful for the thoughtful, objective decision,” the school official added.

Based on records, Liam died of cardiac arrest as a result of his jumping off a building on Feb. 6, 2015. No criminal investigation was initiated relative to Liam’s death, and no criminal charges were filed against his teacher, Natalie.

Trixie, who filed the complaint before the DOJ in October last year, appealed the dismissal of her complaint.

Liam jumped from the sixth floor of a carpark in Makati City in February last year after his teacher, Natalie, accused him of plagiarism.

Apart from the criminal complaint with the DOJ, Trixie had also earlier filed with the Department of Education an administrative complaint against the school for alleged violation of child protection policies.

Trixie also filed in December last year a P100-million civil case against the school before the Taguig City regional trial court.