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MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) denounced the “profiling operations” of the Department of Education (DepEd) after receiving reports from the regions that a memorandum had been issued to request the names of teachers affiliated with the group.
According to ACT, a memorandum dated June 16 signed by DepEd Central Visayas Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez was requesting a complete list of teachers affiliated with their group who are availing of the department’s automatic payroll deduction system.
The memo did not specify where the data will be used but ACT alleged that it was politically motivated, citing Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte’s designation as co-chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
NTF-Elcac, it said, was “persistent in their aim to hunt down members of progressive organizations.
Aside from Central Visayas, ACT said its leaders from Northern Mindanao also received messages that school heads were ordered to list teachers who are active members of ACT.