Palace tags 3 Lumad schools suspected of spreading subversive ideas

Malacañang on Friday tagged three Lumad schools allegedly spreading subversive ideas, two of which were operating without permits.

Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag  said “there are three main groups of left-oriented indigenous people schools, this is according to the Department of Education.”

“These are the Alternative Learning Center for Agriculture and Livelihood Development, Inc. or the Alcadev; second, the Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services, Inc. or the Clans; and third, the Salugpungan Community Learning Center,” Banaag said during the Mindanao Hour briefing at Malacañang.

She said the Alcadev of   Surigao “has no permit to operate and refuses to get a permit from the Department of Education.”

“The Clans, on the other hand, has been given 3 months to comply with DepEd requirements,” she said.

Banaag said aside from left-leaning lumad schools, the DepEd has established Lumad schools complying with the agency’s curriculum and other requirements.

Assistant Communications Secretary Marie Banaag. SCREENGRAB FROM RTV MALACAñANG VIDEO

“There are Lumad schools established by religious groups and civic organizations, which are legitimate.   Also, there are three indigenous people schools that have been constructed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development,” she said.

During the press conference after his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would bomb Lumad schools teaching subversive ideas to its students.

But Duterte clarified his statement on Thursday, saying he had no plans to kill Lumad children but only wanted to “destroy” schools without government permits.

“It is the illegal Lumad schools which drew the President’s adverse reaction,” she said.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, said on Friday it won’t bomb Lumad schools.

Padilla said Duterte  was only sending a “very strong message” against illegal educational centers teaching children to rebel against the government.