Teacher claims military forcing them to stop volunteer work in IP schools

A volunteer teacher of the Save Our Schools Network on Friday claimed that state forces are discouraging teachers from volunteering in Lumad schools.

“Sa komunidad naman talagang pinaghahanap yung mga kasamahan naming mga guro, pinipilit silang mag-surrender, pinipilit sila na wag na magturo,” Chad Booc said during the SONA ng Pambansang Minorya.

(They’re searching for teachers and they’re forcing them to surrender, forcing them to stop teaching.)

“Tapos yung iba pinipilit na magsalita laban sa mga Lumad schools, magsabi-sabi ng mga kasinungaling at kung hindi ay kinakasuhan,” he added.

(Some are being forced to speak against Lumad schools, to spread lies, and if they disagree, they will be charged.)

Booc said personnel of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) target Lumad schools and teachers, who make the communities aware of their rights. 

“[E]specially din kaming mga guro ang nagsisibling mga human rights workers, taga-document ng mga human rights violations, taga-expose ng kanilang mga ginagawa… kaya kami din ang pinagiinitan talaga ng mga kasundaluhan,” he said.

(Especially since we teachers serve as human rights workers, we document the human rights violations, we expose what they are doing… so military forces are targeting us.)

The volunteer teacher said many of his colleagues are facing trumped up charges because of their work.

“Napakarami po sa mga kasamahan naming mga guro ang nahihirapan ngayon dahil maraming mga kaso ang pinatong sa kanila na sila daw ay mamatay tao na kasama daw sila ng mga rebelde sa pagpatay ng mga tao,” he said.

(Many of my colleagues are having a hard time right now because of the charges filed against them. They are accused of being murderers, that they are in league with the rebels in killing people.)

Booc was among the individuals arrested by police authorities following the supposed rescue of indigenous children in Cebu City in February.

The Davao del Norte Prosecutor’s Office in May dismissed the criminal complaints filed against Booc and others due to insufficient evidence and lack of probable cause.

According to Booc, more than 200 Lumad schools have been closed down in the past five years under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, affecting thousands of students.

“Nawalan sila ng access sa isang makabayang, makamasa, at siyentipikong edukasyon na nagbibigay sa kanila ng libre at dekalidad na edukasyon sa kanilang komunidad mismo,” he said.

(They lost access to a nationalistic and scientific education that is given to them for free at a good quality within their respective communities.)

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"Terrorist" training camps

NTF-ELCAC spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, in a phone call with GMA News Online, denied the claim of Booc.

According to Badoy, one of the biggest achievements of the NTF-ELCAC was the closure of supposed “terrorist training camps” where she said youths are being taught how to become child warriors.

"Those terrorist training camps no longer exist.  And yet the CPP NPA NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) continue to fool hapless individuals and groups into donating to these pretend schools by spreading lies," she said.

She added the schools that were closed down are not accredited by the Department of Education (DepEd). She also denied targeting teachers and said that they are protecting “real teachers.”

“Teachers? Ang ginagawa ng NTF-ELCAC nagdadala kami ng totoong teachers, DepEd accredited. Hindi kami nagta-target ng mga teachers, hindi. Kami nagdaadala ng totong DepEd accredited teachers," she said.

(Teachers? What the NTF-ELCAC does is we bring real teachers who are DepEd accredited. We don't target teachers. We bring DepEd-accredited teachers.)

“Totoong eskwela ‘yung dinadala ng NTF-ELCAC sa mga kapatid natin na katutubo. So walang tina-target dito na teachers. In fact, prino-protect namin ‘yung totong teachers,” she added.

(We establish real schools. We don't target any teachers. In fact, we protect real teachers.)—LDF, GMA News