Lumad students attend a flag-raising ceremony at an ALCADEV-run school in Mindanao before starting alternative education classes. FROM ALCADEV FACEBOOK PAGE
A nongovernment organization (NGO) took exception Thursday to President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim against lumad schools that operate illegally, which he threatened to bomb for teaching subversion and communism.
“You are claiming that our Lumad schools are illegally operating so you can justify the attacks on our schools and threaten us to bomb our communities,” said Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development Inc. (ALCADEV Inc.) in a Facebook post.
“We suggest you check first with your agencies we’ve coordinated with since time immemorial,” said ALCADEV, attaching with its post several certificates from the Department of Education (DepEd).
Duterte, at a press conference after his second State of the Nation Address on Monday, threatened to bomb lumad schools operating “illegally.”
READ: Duterte told to retract threat to bomb lumad schools | It’s a war crime—rights groups on Duterte’s threat to bomb lumad schools
The President did not specify any group but tagged those that are “teaching subversion, communism.”
“They are teaching subversion, communism, lahat na. Umalis kayo diyan. Sabihin ko diyan sa mga lumad ngayon, umalis kayo diyan. Bobombahan ko ‘yan. Isali ko ‘yang mga istruktura ninyo,” he said.
“I will use the Armed Forces, the Philippine Air Force. Talagang bobombahan ko … because you are operating illegally and you are teaching the children to rebel against government. May kalokohan kayo, eh di mas lalo na ako,” Duterte added.
Duterte’s threat later drew flak from leftist and human rights groups, calling him a “madman.”
READ: Reds call Duterte ‘madman’ over threat to bomb lumad schools
According to the documents attached, ALCADEV is a Securities and Exchange Commission-registered non-government organization (NGO) “which manages a secondary alternative school specializes in agriculture and skills development for the indigenous people (Lumad-Manobo Tribe) and agrarian communities in the province of Surigao del Sur.”
A document, dated February 17, 2016, also states that they have access to Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Program of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the DepEd, Surigao del Sur division.
The ALCADEV produced 55 A&E passers, or 76 percent passing rate, from 2012 to 2014.
“We aren’t just permitted by the government. We are also recognized for being outstanding,” ALCADEV added in a separate post showing a trophy from the 2014 National Literacy Awards. CBB/rga