SUSPENSION ORDER. Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of Department of Education-Region 11 shows the letter of suspension for the 55 Salugpongan tribal schools in Davao Region during a media briefing on Monday (July 15). (Photo by Che Palicte)
DAVAO CITY – The Department of Education-Region 11 (DepEd-11) clarified it did not issue a closure order against the 55 Salugpungan Ta’ Tanu Igkanogon (Salugpungan) tribal schools, whose permits to operate was suspended by the agency on July 12.
In a media briefing Monday, DepEd-11 spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said permit suspension does not amount to stoppage or total closure contrary to claims by Save our School (SOS) Network, where the Salungpungan school system is a member.“It is not true that we are closing the schools. It is just a suspension order and we are giving five days show cause period for them to present their answer on the allegations thrown to them,” said Atillo, referring to the "show cause" order on Salugpungan executive director Maria Eugenia Nolasco to provide a written explanation on the allegations of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon.
Esperon, who is vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, said the Salugpungan tribal school system promotes the New People's Army's (NPA) communist ideology that espouses the violent overthrow of the government; trains its students to hold mass actions against the government; and uses curriculums not in accordance with the DepEd guidelines.
On Sunday evening, SOS Network, in its Facebook page, claimed DepEd issued a "closure" order against Salugpungan schools.
SOS said DepEd's action, as well as Esperon's allegations, put the security of all Salugpungan students and teachers at risk.
“It is appalling that an institution that is supposed to protect and uphold the children’s right to education, has reduced itself as a stamp-pad for the military who have targeted the closure of Lumad schools in Mindanao,” SOS said.
Atillo, however, made it clear that DepEd's suspension order only pertains to the permit to operate that all private schools in the region are required to obtain every year.
He said Salugpungan learners are always welcome to transfer to DepEd-run schools. He added that they are assisting the transfer of students to government-run public schools with or without credentials.
Even Salugpungan teachers, he said, are welcome to apply for vacant positions at DepEd.
Atillo also decried the SOS statement describing the DepEd as a stamping pad of Esperon, saying the agency is only acting based on its mandate to protect the students.
“Everything here is in accordance with our mandate and policies. They (SOS) are peddling wrong information to touch human emotions. If we are the stamping pad, we will automatically close it and will not give due process to them,” the DepEd-11 spokesperson said.
In its statement, SOS accused the DepEd of failing to address the concerns of Salugpungan schools that have been brought to the attention of the agency for the past years.
One of these, it said, are the alleged actions of the military and paramilitary groups to forcibly close down the tribal schools in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley provinces.
“Yet despite these clear attacks on Lumad schools, students and teachers, we have never heard a single word of protection or support from the DepEd,” SOS said.
In response, Atillo said the SOS allegations are baseless and unsubstantiated and could have been properly addressed if formal complaints were coursed through law enforcement authorities.
What the SOS and Salungpungan should answer, Atillo said, are the credible allegations that the tribal school system is being used to propagate the "violent" ideology of the New People's Army, and that its schools are being used as recruitment and training ground by the communist rebel movement.
Atillo said Esperon's allegations are backed by the testimonies of a former teacher of a Salugpungan school who has since left the organization.
“The basis of Secretary Esperon is the affidavit executed by Melvin Loyod who is a former student of a certain Salugpungan school and eventually became a volunteer teacher in a Salugpungan school in Sitio Pongpong, Barangay Sto. Niño in Talaingod, Davao del Norte,” Atillo said.
In his affidavit executed on Dec. 6, 2018, Loyod said that Salugpungan learners were taught rebellion tactics against the government. The military also claimed that the schools are training grounds for NPA recruitment, where students are trained in guerilla warfare.
He added that the students are taught NPA literature, made to sing songs praising the communist rebellion, and made to act in plays depicting alleged military abuses on the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
“Based on Loyod’s testimony, they were also taught to handle firearms, learn the techniques on how to ambush military personnel, and other actions detrimental to national security,” Atillo said.
The SOS Network, he said, should check their facts and stop telling lies.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074932
In a media briefing Monday, DepEd-11 spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said permit suspension does not amount to stoppage or total closure contrary to claims by Save our School (SOS) Network, where the Salungpungan school system is a member.“It is not true that we are closing the schools. It is just a suspension order and we are giving five days show cause period for them to present their answer on the allegations thrown to them,” said Atillo, referring to the "show cause" order on Salugpungan executive director Maria Eugenia Nolasco to provide a written explanation on the allegations of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon.
Esperon, who is vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, said the Salugpungan tribal school system promotes the New People's Army's (NPA) communist ideology that espouses the violent overthrow of the government; trains its students to hold mass actions against the government; and uses curriculums not in accordance with the DepEd guidelines.
On Sunday evening, SOS Network, in its Facebook page, claimed DepEd issued a "closure" order against Salugpungan schools.
SOS said DepEd's action, as well as Esperon's allegations, put the security of all Salugpungan students and teachers at risk.
“It is appalling that an institution that is supposed to protect and uphold the children’s right to education, has reduced itself as a stamp-pad for the military who have targeted the closure of Lumad schools in Mindanao,” SOS said.
Atillo, however, made it clear that DepEd's suspension order only pertains to the permit to operate that all private schools in the region are required to obtain every year.
He said Salugpungan learners are always welcome to transfer to DepEd-run schools. He added that they are assisting the transfer of students to government-run public schools with or without credentials.
Even Salugpungan teachers, he said, are welcome to apply for vacant positions at DepEd.
Atillo also decried the SOS statement describing the DepEd as a stamping pad of Esperon, saying the agency is only acting based on its mandate to protect the students.
“Everything here is in accordance with our mandate and policies. They (SOS) are peddling wrong information to touch human emotions. If we are the stamping pad, we will automatically close it and will not give due process to them,” the DepEd-11 spokesperson said.
In its statement, SOS accused the DepEd of failing to address the concerns of Salugpungan schools that have been brought to the attention of the agency for the past years.
One of these, it said, are the alleged actions of the military and paramilitary groups to forcibly close down the tribal schools in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley provinces.
“Yet despite these clear attacks on Lumad schools, students and teachers, we have never heard a single word of protection or support from the DepEd,” SOS said.
In response, Atillo said the SOS allegations are baseless and unsubstantiated and could have been properly addressed if formal complaints were coursed through law enforcement authorities.
What the SOS and Salungpungan should answer, Atillo said, are the credible allegations that the tribal school system is being used to propagate the "violent" ideology of the New People's Army, and that its schools are being used as recruitment and training ground by the communist rebel movement.
Atillo said Esperon's allegations are backed by the testimonies of a former teacher of a Salugpungan school who has since left the organization.
“The basis of Secretary Esperon is the affidavit executed by Melvin Loyod who is a former student of a certain Salugpungan school and eventually became a volunteer teacher in a Salugpungan school in Sitio Pongpong, Barangay Sto. Niño in Talaingod, Davao del Norte,” Atillo said.
In his affidavit executed on Dec. 6, 2018, Loyod said that Salugpungan learners were taught rebellion tactics against the government. The military also claimed that the schools are training grounds for NPA recruitment, where students are trained in guerilla warfare.
He added that the students are taught NPA literature, made to sing songs praising the communist rebellion, and made to act in plays depicting alleged military abuses on the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
“Based on Loyod’s testimony, they were also taught to handle firearms, learn the techniques on how to ambush military personnel, and other actions detrimental to national security,” Atillo said.
The SOS Network, he said, should check their facts and stop telling lies.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074932
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