Raymond Basilio, secretary general of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (Photo from the Facebook account of ACT)
MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) claimed Friday he was harassed by personnel of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said the CIDG was investigating him “per order from the Office of the President.”
In a statement, Basilio said the CIDG personnel told him that the investigation was related to the complaint ACT supposedly filed at the PNP, which he denied because the complaints were filed before the Court of Appeals (CA) and Ombudsman.
“Several PNP officials are respondents to the suits we previously filed. Why then are they the ones investigating us, the aggrieved party whose rights they already breached repeatedly in their brazen operations? This is part of their pursuit to harass and intimidate us,” he said.
ACT on Friday filed a supplemental petition to the CA informing the Court of the still ongoing harassment by government law enforcers. ACT reiterated its call for the Appeals Court to declare the unconstitutionality of the profiling memoranda and operations against their union.
“The urgency of the Court’s resolution cannot be overstated, and we hope to finally be granted relief and served justice. Without it, we’re ever more vulnerable to further rights violations,” Basilio said.
Basilio told INQUIRER.net that he was personally approached by the CIDG personnel, but the police cannot tell him the grounds on why he was being investigated.
Aside from his supposed ordeal with the police, Basilio said ACT Caraga Secretary Rosanilla Consad also reported weeks of surveillance by men onboard motorcycles.
Basilio said that based on Consad’s accounts, the unidentified men were seen lurking outside her home in Butuan and in other places she goes to.
ACT also claimed Professor Phoebe Sanchez, a faculty member of UP Cebu and President of All UP Academic Employees Union in Cebu, received death threats on June 27.
ACT said a staff from UP Cebu’s Human Resources Development Office received a text message apparently meant for Sanchez, which read: “Mrs phoebe sanchez inihap na lang adlaw nimo dinhi sa kalibutan condolence sa imong pamilya (Mrs. Phoebe Sanchez, your days are numbered. Condolence to your family).”
The group said that was followed by another text message that read: “Rest in peace, Phoebe Sanchez.”
Basilio condemned these reported harassment against teachers.
“Teachers who fight for rights and social justice do not deserve to be persecuted. Unionism is not a crime,” he said.
INQUIRER.net sought comments from the CIDG but it has yet to confirm whether it is indeed investigating Basilio. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
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