TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta International School’s legal counsel, Harry Ponto, accused parents of having major roles in leading the sexual harassment case engulfing the school. Harry compared the case with the similar case at a school in California, of which the film was screened at JIS yesterday.
“Some questions were leading the children and the case. We will look at the case in our version.
In the movie, Harry said, the children were directed on how to testify that they eventually said yes to every question asked by psychologists. According Harry, similar practices were conducted by a parent, who manipulated the child, AK, to mention teachers’ involvement.
In addition, there was also an email sent by a mother of the second victim, AL, calling for other parents to question their children over the sexual harassment case at JIS. The children’s statement and the email allegedly manipulated the police to name two teachers, Neil Batlemen and Ferdinand Tjiong, as suspects, following six JIS Janitors.
Legal counsel of the victim’s mother, O.C. Kaligis, had responded to the allegation, saying that the children were accompanied by psychologist when they were questioned. According to Kaligis, there was no way the children would provide false testimony during the probe.
“He pointed [the three teachers] when he saw their photos,” Kaligis said.
APRILIANI GITA FITRIA
