DepEd to look into claim teacher collected maternity pay 11 times in 3 years

The Department of Education said it will look into allegations that a teacher in a school in Taguig claimed maternity pay 11 times in a span of three years, according to Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday.

“Nanganak ng labing-isang beses sa loob ng tatlong taon,” said Dr. Ellery Quintia, chief education supervisor for the curriculum implementation division of the DepEd Taguig Pateros Division.

According to documents provided by a source in the DepEd's finance department, the person behind the scheme received money at several dates from February 2016 to August 2018, amounting to almost P497,000.

“Kung titignan ninyo itong hawak kong dokumento, sa loob ng isang taon, limang beses nanganak. Ibig sabihin every two months, three months nanganganak siya,” Quintia said.

“[Bank] advice po ito eh. Pagka-pinirmahan na ang advice ibig sabihin na deposito na ito sa account ng mga tao na nakalista dito,” Quintia said.

Those who signed the documents must also provide an explanation, he added.

“Si teacher kasabwat dito, kasi siya mismo ang pipirma dito eh. Pangalawa, dadaan ang pag-file nito sa principal. Si principal pipirma ng advice ito eh. Pagdating sa division office nandyan si personnel, nandyan si admin officer, nandyan si accountant, nandyan si SGOD chief na pumipirma ng voucher namin pag release ng pera. At syempre yung aming abogado,” Quintia said.

The teacher named in the documents denied the allegations.

“Blangko ako diyan, wala akong alam. Na-shock ako niyan. Kaninang umaga ko lang po ‘yan nalaman. ‘Di ko alam kung ano reaction ko, pero sa totoo lang, nakaka-inis siyempre kasi nadamay ako,” she said.

She said that she did not get pregnant and did not receive any maternity pay.

“Six years na po akong separated as in wala akong anak kahit records sa school, wala. Eh hindi nga ako nabuntis, wala nga po akong anak,” she said.

However, some teachers received only half of their maternity pay which also took seven months before it was given.

GMA News is still seeking the side of those who signed the document.

Meanwhile, DepEd Taguig Pateros said they will wait for an order from the regional office for them to investigate.

“This particular issue will not go to oblivion and we will do every legal means to resolve this issue,” DepEd Taguig Pateros legal officer Brent Buliyat said.

The DepEd Southern District Office said they will investigate the issue.

“Aming ie-endorse sa ating legal [team] sa DepEd ang pagimbestiga dito at tinatawagan ko ang ating mga personnel sa DepEd na magreport kung merong mga ganitong pangyayari,” Vice President and DepEd secretary Sara Duterte said.

“Doon sa million na yun maraming paaralan ang mabibigyan natin ng upuan, ng blackboard, ng magandang silid paaralan, in short ang ninanakawan natin dito hindi yung bulsa ng gobyerno kung hindi yung mga kawawang bata,” Quintia said. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA Integrated News