DepEd recalls letter on listing ACT members
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education ordered one of its school division offices to recall a letter directing the inventory of educators aligned with the Alliance of Concerned Teachers.
This, after the group of teachers assailed the reported inventory of its members by the Philippine National Police.
A copy of the supposed DepEd letter directing public and private elementary and secondary school heads to submit the names of teachers who are members of ACT was released by the teachers' group over the weekend. It cited an unnumbered memorandum dated December 26 signed by Chief Inspector Rexson Layug of the Manila Police District Intelligence Branch as basis.
The letter was signed by Sheryl Gatola Cese, acting assistant schools division superintendent.
“It is confirmed though that a letter addressed to school heads was issued by one SDO through an acting division superintendent, forwarding a purported memorandum from a PNP unit. In consultation with the concerned regional office, the recall of this forwarding letter has been directed,” DepEd said.
The Education department, moreover, stressed that its central office has not received such request from the PNP.
It added no other similar letter has been issued by any other DepEd local unit.
“Should any inter-agency request for personal information of individuals be received by DepEd, such request shall be evaluated based on existing laws and regulations, including the Data Privacy Act,” DepEd said.
ACT alleged that police intelligence agents have been visiting schools in Cebu, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Zambales, Agusan del Sur and Metro Manila since the start of the year to inventory ACT members.
PNP chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday ordered the relief of intelligence officers for “leaked” documents on the inventory of ACT members, which he said, caused “unnecessary panic” among the members of the teachers group.
But he maintained that he did not issue orders to compile a list of ACT members.
“I’ll check where it came from, what’s the basis. If it came from the Directorate for Intelligence, probably it’s just internal. I’m sure it’s just internal,” Albayalde said.
ACT: Profiling ‘unmistakeably wrong’
Both Albayalde and presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo stressed that members of ACT should not be concerned about police potentially compiling their information if they are not doing anything illegal.
But Raymond Basilio, ACT secretary general, said that police profiling is “illegal and unmistakeably wrong” as it violates the members rights to privacy, free expression and self-organization.
“Nothing is procedural about this, especially since the state has long accused our organization of being a communist front, coupled with President Duterte’s highly-publicized announcements on his intent to annihilate members, suspected or otherwise, of the CPP-NPA-NDF,” Basilio said. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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