Duterte should say sorry for bombing threat vs. Lumad schools —Alliance of Concerned Teachers

President Rodrigo Duterte should publicly apologize to the lumads and retract his bombing threat against them, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).

"Nakakalungkot sa Presidente ay marinig natin ang isang shocking at horrific pronouncement na bobombahin niya yung Mindanao. President Duterte is acting like a war lord. Para siyang mandirigma, sir Duterte leave the lumads alone dahil attacking civilians, attacking teachers, students is a war crime," ACT national chairperson Benjamin Valbuena said at a press conference at the University of the Philippines-Diliman on Friday.

"In the name of civility and respect, President Duterte should publicly retract his pronouncement. Kailangan humingi siya ng public apology sa mga lumads. He must stop his senseless pronouncement, instead he must guarantee the right to education of the lumads and solve perennial problems in the educational system,"  he added.

Duterte, at a press conference after his second State of the Nation Address and a visit with protesters outside the Batasan Pambansa, said he would bomb the schools operated by the lumads, alleging that these schools were teaching students to rebel against the government.

He also said that lumad schools had been operating without a permit from the Department of Education.

On Friday, however, Valbuena said they were already closely working with lumad teachers to come up with an appropriate curriculum for their students.

"Katulong ng ACT-Philippines ang mga lumad sa pagde-develop ng mga curriculum building at sa mga training na ibinibigay ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) kaya mariin naming kinokondena itong mga pronouncement ng klase ng Pangulo na tayo ay mayroon," he said.

The President has already clarified to reporters in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental that he would not bomb the lumad schools if students were still inside them.

"Wala akong sinabi na bombahan ko 'yang may tao kaya sinabi ko umalis kayo diyan. Ibig sabihin, sisirain ko 'yan because you are using a school without a license from the Department of Education," Duterte said.

"Hindi ko sinabi patayin ko 'yung mga bata. Far from it actually. Librehin ko ang bata sa perdition ninyo because they will learn to be pareho sa inyo," he added. — MDM, GMA News